Energy Project Case Study:
Mackley Industrial Estate
East Sussex
Summary
BHESCo was engaged by Mackley Industrial Estate to develop a rooftop solar PV system at their industrial estate.
To meet the challenge of a weak asbestos-cement roof, BHESCo developed an innovative ‘over-sheeting’ solution, involving the implementation of a waterproof load-bearing metal surface over the existing roof.
Project background
Mackley Industrial Estate, located in the Sussex countryside, expressed an interest in onsite clean, renewable energy to differentiate its offering from other conventional business parks.
The landlord engaged BHESCo to assess the feasibility of rooftop solar power for its tenants. A bakery business located within the estate became an attractive site due to its high electricity consumption and a large east-west aspect roof.
Built in the 1970s, the roof was constructed from asbestos-cement and had a limited remaining useful life. Given that solar panels have a minimum operational lifetime of 25 years, this presented a barrier to developing a viable project. BHESCo set about investigating the most attractive technical solution that offered the best value for money.
Project development
BHESCo’s Project Team conducted a site-survey and analysis of the bakery’s energy consumption to inform the design of a solar PV array.
To overcome the obstacle of the structurally weak asbestos roof, BHESCo worked with a specialist supplier to develop an “oversheeting” solution. This involves cladding a new metal roof surface over the old asbestos roof that is still structurally intact. The solar panels will be secured to the metal roof exterior, meaning there is no load-bearing weight associated with the asbestos roof. Neither will there be a need to drill fixings into it.
BHESCo worked with the landlord to derive the optimum commercial terms regarding the finance structuring, such that the development will generate clean electricity for a guaranteed lower price over the finance period. Our goal was to design a financial solution which would benefit both the landlord and the tenant’s businesses. Any profit above BHESCo’s required margin will be reinvested into a community benefit fund in the form of EV charging stations or other improvements to the industrial estate.
187kW solar PV
183,490kWh annual generation
£437k lifetime financial saving
Key benefits
The landlords/ tenants are benefitting from a new watertight roof surface.
1. The landlords/ tenants are benefitting from a new watertight roof surface.
2. The work can be done ‘live’, so the tenant does not have to suspend operations and vacate the building whilst the roof is replaced.
3. BHESCo will finance the solar PV and most of the roofing costs. The tenant pays no upfront costs. The landlord’s cost contribution is ringfenced to the asbestos related works presenting significant savings compared to the cost of replacing the entire roof.
