Scottish Housing Association Project Supplied By Trina
Trina Solar has announced that it has supplied 4,000 PV modules to Edison Energy for a project that has seen Knowes Housing Association help 350 households at risk of fuel poverty in Clydebank, Scotland.
Knowes Housing Association, managed by a committee of local tenants and owner-occupiers, owns and manages more than 1,000 properties in the Faifley and Duntocher areas of Clydebank. The installations are part of a £2 million, two-year programme of improvements that is expected to deliver annual energy bill savings of £70,000 and reduce carbon emissions by 500kg per year.
A total of 350 houses have benefitted from the installation of PV arrays between 2kWp and 4kWp, offering a sustainable approach to meeting the energy needs of those most likely to struggle to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost relative to their income. The installations are also providing a revenue stream, with surplus energy being sold back to the national grid. Edison Energy will work with Knowes Housing Association and its tenants for the next 20 years, providing financing, aftercare, and maintenance support.
The project uses Trina Solar's multicrystalline TSM-PC05 series modules, which offer 15 per cent efficiency, excellent performance in low light conditions, and generate up to 245W. They are also able to withstand snow and wind loads of up to 5,400Pa and 2,400Pa respectively.
Trina Solar has also supplied Edison Energy with modules for two similar projects. 60 PV arrays, averaging 3kw each, were installed for Clackmannanshire Council in a pilot for a larger programme to include 1,200 properties. Another 40 systems have been installed for Berwickshire Housing Association, with almost 800 properties to benefit from wider roll-out of the scheme.
"In a climate of escalating uncertainty over traditional energy supplies and concern about potential price hikes, it is important to emphasise the vital role that solar PV is already playing "“ and will continue to play "“ as part of the renewable energy mix, helping to stave off the threat of fuel poverty in areas hardest hit by the challenging economic circumstances of recent years," said Richard Rushin, UK Sales Manager at Trina Solar.
"Solar PV has become much more affordable over the past few years, especially when considered as a long-term investment option. However, in a market where there is now price parity for manufacturers, customers need to be vigilant and ensure they opt for high-quality products and services if their investment is to be worthwhile. At Trina Solar, we want to make this selection process as simple as possible by standing out from the crowd in this respect, which is why we are committed to ensuring that our products not only meet but significantly exceed the minimum standards required by TUV and IEC," he continued.
"Our relationship with Trina Solar has allowed us to develop a sustainable energy solution using market-leading solar technologies, resulting in lower operations and maintenance costs. It is critical to our business model that we have established relationships with our supply partners to ensure that we work together to deliver a consistently high-quality product, in terms of both system performance and maintenance," said Fraser MacKenzie, Business Development Director at Edison Energy.