Nationwide Solar Completes Projects
Nationwide Solar has completed a major photovoltaic panel installation for innovative construction products manufacturer Hilti at both its head office in Manchester and its logistics and training centre in Stockport.
The project saw more than 330 JA PV Panels mounted along with Aurora Power Inverters to produce 78kWp and create an annual CO2 saving of an estimated 31 tonnes. Investment is due to be recovered within 10 years with both systems fitted in less than three days.
Utilising Hilti's own MSP mounting systems, the project was undertaken using the company's in-house engineering design team with Nationwide Solar and structural consultants in order to find the optimum working solution, placing special importance on the number of south facing panels plus significant wind and snow actions.
Hilti's MSP system is available in pitched and flat roof variants. The MSP pitched roof system allows framed solar panels to be mounted quickly and securely using only five Hilti system components. For flat roofs it allows the rapid assembly of PV support structures in a number of design variations to allow optimum use of often limited space.
Russ Cowan, Managing Director at Nationwide Solar, said: "Despite the Government's reduction of Feed In Tariffs, we are finding that in the vast majority of cases we are able to ensure that PV systems installed now are just as viable as before.
"This is especially true of commercial installations in the 50-250kW range such as Hilti's, and it is a vote of confidence in the revised economics of the technology that the company has undertaken this project."
Eddie Mills, National Sales Manager for Solar PV at Hilti UK, said: "As one of the biggest suppliers of PV mounting systems in the UK it makes perfect sense for us to adopt this valuable technology. We are very pleased with the initial results, which we hope will also send a clear message to the market that solar installations are as viable now as they were a year ago."
Nationwide Solar was founded in February 2010 and has become the largest social housing PV contractor in the UK with more than 4,000 domestic installations, all fitted using Hilti MSP systems. The company currently employs more than 80 people through its head office in Tankersley, South Yorkshire.
