Published: 16 Dec 2022, 14:53
Geo Green Power previously installed solar PV systems across three Inchcape sites in Oxford, Portsmouth and Norwich. Image: GEO Green Power.
Renewable energy company, Geo Green Power, has signed a multimillion-pound contract with franchise dealership specialist, Inchcape, to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the roofs of a large portion of its 100 showrooms throughout the UK over the next 6-12 months.
The new agreement follows a previous trial contract between the two organisations in 2020 where Geo Green Power installed solar PV systems across three Inchcape sites in Oxford, Portsmouth and Norwich.
Upon its completion, the project is expected to save the company £500,000 a year.
In response to the announcement David Tyler, director of estates and facilities at Inchcape said: “The car industry as a whole has been given a major challenge in terms of our environmental impact with the ban of the sale of new diesel and petrol cars planned from 2030. At Inchcape we’re rising to this challenge, embracing new technology and wanted to do everything in our power to improve our sustainability.
“Following the tender process we were delighted to award our initial contract to Geo Green Power for our trial sites. The process was incredibly smooth from start to finish and our first sites are now enjoying free, green electricity, protecting them against the huge increase in electricity costs that we are seeing. The obvious next step was to crack on and get the same solution installed at more sites.”
Inchcape is looking to complete the second PV instalment of installations before 2023.
Solar panels continue to offer cost benefits to businesses in the UK, with a report from PowerMarket suggesting that if the UK used 5% of available UK commercial rooftop space for solar, it could lead to an estimated £12.6 billion per year in energy cost savings.
Already major industries and organisations are benefitting from the technology – with increased interest driven by the current high power prices in particular – for example NHS Property Services recently installed a solar PV array on the roof elevation at Health House in Hull, saving the NHS £60,000 in electricity costs.