In late Spring 2023, BeBa Energy proudly completed one of the company’s most prestigious projects to date: a solar PV installation at Thanet Earth’s packhouse in Birchington, Kent.
Known for being the UK’s largest glasshouse complex, Thanet Earth now features a 1.1 megawatt roof-mounted system with 2,740 solar panels, transforming their vast roof space into a powerhouse of renewable energy.
Covering nearly 5,500 square meters, this solar array is anticipated to generate 982,934 kWh annually, contributing over 30% to Thanet Earth’s overall power mix. With an impressive on-site solar utilisation rate of 80%, this installation highlights the potential of solar energy in large-scale commercial settings with a high on-site energy demand.
Thanet Earth was committed to sustainability, aiming to reduce its carbon footprint and move towards Net Zero. The environmental benefits of this project are substantial, reducing the company’s carbon emissions by nearly 200,000 kilograms per year, equivalent to taking 6.6 million car miles off the road. The energy produced is enough to power around 500 two-bedroomed homes annually, underscoring the significant impact of this solar array.
Maintaining peak performance is essential for such a large installation. Solar PV systems are not simply a ‘fit and forget’ technology but require regular maintenance to ensure they are operating at peak efficiency. Thanet Earth acknowledged this from the outset and now works in partnership with BeBa Energy, which handles all the grower’s operational and maintenance needs.
As part of this, BeBa engineers conduct regular site visits and six monthly servicing and reporting, along with annual panel cleaning using BeBa’s semi-automatic robotic panel cleaner. This ensures enhanced power performance from the array while preventing hot spotting and micro-cracking, forms of degradation which are hard to spot with the naked eye.
Additionally, to manage the solar array BeBa Energy has fitted its BeSmarter monitoring system. This not only tracks energy production but also monitors on-site consumption, along with the amount of energy exported to the local grid. This granular data allows BeBa to give Thanet Earth detailed insights on their system’s performance and prepare for future advances, such as the integration of battery storage to further support their net zero ambitions.
The strategic use of roof space at Thanet Earth has demonstrated that solar energy can offer both environmental and commercial benefits. During the design stage, opting to cover the entire roof made the most commercial and environmental sense. As Thanet Earth continues to grow tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, the company’s commitment to renewable energy serves as an inspiring example for the agricultural industry.
BeBa Energy is honoured to be part of Thanet Earth’s journey towards sustainability and to be the company’s chosen solar partner. This project is a shining example of how solar PV systems can drive significant progress towards a greener future. Businesses thinking of installing solar PV or requiring maintenance on an existing system should contact BeBa Energy today.
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