CASE STUDY 

Client Brief/Scope: 

The aim of the project is to produce zero carbon homes across Telford and Wrekin using a combination of energy  technologies to be retrofitted to 68 existing homes and 11 new builds – where planning permissions have already  been granted. The project will also establish a local MIS 3012 battery storage standard training programme through  Telford College with Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation to upskill the existing workforce and  train apprentices in battery storage installation, delivering legacy benefits to the Marches community beyond the  project itself. The impact for generations to come will be low energy bills easing fuel poverty in Social Housing;  reducing the load on the local grid; and eliminating carbon through energy consumption. The technologies that will  be combined are Solar PV and battery energy storage units.  

The Installation: 

Ace Solar Energy were appointed as one of two specialist installers to undertake the installation of  Solar PV panels, inverter and battery storage on homes identified as suitable in conjunction with local authority and  Ace Solar Energy. 

Key roles undertaken by Ace Solar Energy include: 

– Initial site survey, assessment and individual installation design for each house; 

– On-site liaison with tenants and liaison with clerk of works; 

– Liaison with District Network Operator, ensuring compliance with the Energy Network Association  requirements for connecting generation modules to the National Grid 

– Site survey, Risk assessment and method statement for each property 

– Installation and commissioning of on-roof solar PV panels, Inverter and battery within the home; – Issuing of all certification including MCS, NICEIC, Buildings regulations and Test Commissioning – System handover to the tenant, paperwork handover to AceOn 

As part of the appointment process, Ace Solar Energy were required to supply, amongst other things, full RAMS,  Health & Safety policies, Insurance, MCS certification, Electrical Certificate, Buildings’ regulations certification and  warranties. 

Details of the installation were revealed to the local press: 

The £1m project, led by local authority, has government-backing as it could prove to be a blueprint for  renewable energy schemes across the country. 

In total, 68 homes will be retrofitted with battery storage and solar panels and a further 11 new energy-efficient  homes will be constructed. 

Local authority is working with Telford-based battery specialist and Electrical  Wholesalers to install the systems.

CASE STUDY 

Overall, the project will deliver 87 jobs in the next year, a 1,678,750 kWh reduction in energy consumption off the  grid and a 720 tonne reduction in carbon dioxide over a 10-year period, it is claimed. It should also reduce energy  bills for residents. 

The Telford-based battery specialists are the full energy storage provider for the scheme, supplying solar panels, inverters and 7kWh  batteries to allow the homes to capture solar energy and then store it for later use. 

The director of the battery specialists said “This is a key project for us to be involved in and  underlines the cutting edge work we are doing to deliver new energy storage systems which can play a leading role  in fighting climate change for the next 20 years and more.  

“We have developed a truly-innovative virtual power plant, which provides an energy storage system which can be  both retro-fitted to existing homes and installed in new developments and is small enough to fit in a cupboard under  stairs. It has huge potential to help housing associations, local authorities and developers across the country meet  new climate change and carbon emission targets, reduce their tenants’ electricity bills and provide a new income  stream for these organisations to support their investment in renewables. 

“It is hugely exciting and we are delighted to be working with our partners on such a pioneering and important  scheme which will showcase these technologies to a national audience.” 

Local authority was awarded funding for the scheme via the Marches local enterprise partnership in August. 

The executive director of operations for the local authority, said: “The whole world faces a big carbon  reduction challenge and we believe a good place for that to start is at home, so we are excited to get started on this  project, prove our concept and then continue to invest across our remaining housing stock.”