Client: Agrochemex Ltd

Main Contractor: Igloo Environmental Ltd
Solar Contractor: Igloo Environmental Ltd

Solar Panels: 1,000 x 235w = 235 kWp

Agrochemex Ltd is based at the Aldham’s Farm Research Station near Manningtree, Essex. The site was a former Aventis (Rhône-Poulenc) Global Centre of Excellence. It was purchased ten years ago by Agrochemex and used to set up an agricultural and horticultural contract research organisation. 

Their electricity consumption was very high and they wanted to reduce their energy costs as much as possible via onsite PV generation. We conducted a full assessment of the roofs, building structures and electrical network & carried out a thorough analysis of the onsite electricity consumption.

It was very clear early on that the available roof space would be insufficient to house an array big enough to provide the level of PV energy Agrochemex were seeking. We therefore identified an area of land adjacent to the main offices and laboratories large enough (approximately an acre) for a 235kW ground mounted array.

 

We discussed the project with UK Power Networks the local grid operator and were given approval to connect upto 235kW of generation through the clients distribution board but due to the size of the onsite transformer (200kVa), were had to install a G59 relay and export limiter device to restrict the amount of PV energy exported to the grid (set at 150kW). 

 

We designed the array and electrical connections and commissioned Whirledge and Nott to prepare the Planning Application, which was approved without any objections or conditions. We built & commissioned the array in 1 month (in awful weather conditions) including UK Power Networks witness testing the system.

 

Agrochemex are delighted with the results, as the system outperformed the estimated production figures in its first year of operation. As the client also has periods of PV energy to the Grid, we also negotiated a 6p/kWh export PPA for the client which is proving to be a welcome revenue stream.