News Article
SOLAR ARRAY IS PLAIN SAILING FOR EXMOUTH CLUB
Members of Exe Sailing Club have long been using the power of the wind to provide the energy for their favourite pastime, so it's of little surprise that they've recently installed another renewable technology "“ a state-of-the-art solar PV array "“ to provide the electricity for their club house.
With 40 panels fitted to three of the building's roofs, the system will generate enough energy to provide almost all of the club's electricity needs, and help them achieve their dream of becoming a more sustainable organisation in the future.
Rex Frost, the club's Commodore, said: "This is a huge step forward in terms of securing our future energy needs. We're not a small club, and a large amount of our running costs are spent on electricity and fuel for our boats, so the solar PV array will help us control some of those costs, while providing valuable additional income."
Whereas many solar PV systems feed their excess electricity back into the national grid, the sailing club will make maximum use of the electricity it generates, as it has a constant usage throughout the day. "We use electricity in the bar, the restaurant, the beer chiller and throughout the club house," added Rex, "so we're really making the most out of the green energy we generate, as the energy that the panels produce is free and we get a healthy government payment for producing it."
While many buildings choose a single PV array, the sailing club called in local experts SunGift Solar to custom-design and install a system that would fit across three of the building's roofs, making maximum use of their available space. To make this possible, SunGift's designers incorporated award-winning Solar Edge "˜power optimisers', into the system, which enable each panel to work independently, minimise the effects of shading from nearby buildings, and allow the club to view up-to-the-minute statistics on how well the panels are performing and how much income they are generating.
Gabriel Wondrausch, managing director of SunGift Solar, said: "Solar PV was an excellent solution for Exe Sailing Club, as it significantly reduces their running costs and will pay for itself in a matter of years. With rising energy costs, we're finding that many more local groups are looking to generate their own electricity and heat from renewable sources, rather than having to buy it from energy companies."
Despite the complex nature of the sailing club's roof, the system that SunGift Solar fitted is typical of the type of on-roof system that it installs on domestic properties, club premises and businesses across Devon and the south west.
