Monday 1 August 2011

Thames Water wants to be top solar producer in Britain

Thames Water is building enough solar panels on its rooftops to cover 15 football pitches in a bid to become Britain's largest onsite solar power producer. The water firm that serves London has signed a £7m, 25-year contract with PV specialists Ennoviga Solar.

Ennoviga will tend to solar panels on three locations in Newham, Bexley and Sunbury, and sell back the clean electricity to the water company at a market-competitive price. The scheme will shave £100,000 a year off Thames Water's electricity bill.

Dr Piers Clark, commercial director at Thames Water said: "With the price of energy forecast to increase above inflation, the way we've structured this agreement will give us cheaper, renewable source of power from a secure source over the long term."