Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/516873
Renewable eneRgy 12 WET NEWS JUne 2015 T he spotlight is on solar power in the water sector with the cost of energy rising up agendas. Increasing prices are having a significant impact on bottom lines and, given the energy intensive nature of treatment facilities, water companies are l o o k i ng to i n n o va te p o we r generating solutions as a way of mitigating the impact. Installing solar systems is no l o n g e r s i m p l y a n i s s u e o f sustainability for businesses in this sector. While it is still the case that water treatment firms are looking at the solution as a way to create environmentally-friendly sites, there are also commercial aspects behind the decisions to invest. Budgets of hundreds of millions of pounds are being drawn up to spend on renewables as sources of on-site energy production, in order to cut costs in the long run. For instance, United Utilities (UU) has ongoing carbon reduction plans to help the company halve its 2006 carbon emissions levels by 2035, and the scale of its required energy consumption means it needs to generate part of its own energy in order to do this. This was the reason behind a £1.5M solar installation at its Fleetwood Water Treatment Works. The firm appointed contractor Forrest in 2014 to deliver a 1.32MW solar photovoltaic (PV) system, in order to decrease energy spend, slash carbon outputs and make the site more energy self-sufficient. At Fleetwood, one of United Utilities largest treatment works, it cleans and treats raw sewerage for the whole of Fleetwood and the surrounding area. The site was The solar system will enable UU to reduce energy spend, slash carbon outputs and make the Fleetwood site more energy self-sufficient Going solar at Fleetwood WTW • with energy accounting for a major chunk of water companies' costs, many are seeking alternative ways to generate power. United Utilities is no different, as it installs solar panels at Fleetwood wTw. selected for the solar project because of its status as a high consumption site, requiring a big investment in energy. Roof space Solar PV units work by converting light into energy, which can then be used to power facilities. Panels can be installed on any property with a pitched or flat roof that suits the purpose; generally roof space that faces south and has minimal shading from trees and other buildings will achieve the best returns. Fleetwood was an ideal location for United Utilities as, like many treatment centres, it is positioned well outside of built-up areas. The 1.32MW solar PV system installed by Forrest spans the roofs of four buildings at the site, which is equal to the combined area of one and a half football pitches. It will enable United Utilities to generate more than 1.1 million kWh per year to be used directly by the treatment facility. Commercially, United Utilities w i l l a l s o b e n e f i t f r o m t h e a r r a n g e m e n t t h r o u g h t h e government's Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme. Under FIT, if a business is to install an electricity-generating technology from a renewable or low-carbon source such as solar PV, it could receive money back for any surplus electricity exported to the grid. This means that United Utilities will be paid for any excess energy its solar panels are able to produce – particularly key in the summer when the units will receive the most sunlight. At a site the size of Fleetwood Water Treatment Works, ground- mounted solar would usually be the option of choice but due to the limited land space available with so many buildings on site, United Utilities instead opted for a roof-mounted system. The project took 12 weeks to complete from start to finish and required a significant amount of resource from both sides. To ensure the project was well- equipped enough to deliver on the tight schedule, Forrest held a 40-strong onsite team, including management, which consisted of PV and high-voltage experts. Carbon targets Neil Carroll, energy manager at United Utilities, comments: "For a business like ours, solar energy just makes sense. Our treatment facilities consume a significant amount of energy and, combined with our commitment to meet long-term carbon targets, has led to this significant investment in our own energy generation. The size of the installation meant activity was widespread so a large team was essential to ensure all bases were covered and the project was managed adequately." There was no significant down time while the system was installed, work at the plant could go on as normal without any disturbance as the Forrest team worked on top of the buildings rather than working around them PROJECT SPECS • 12 weeks from start to finish • Supply and install 7,921m2 of solar panels • £1.5 million system