Wednesday 27 November 2013

SEAT installs car industry’s ‘largest’ solar array

Spanish car manufacturer SEAT has completed the installation of the “largest” solar array in the motor industry.

The ‘SEAT al Sol’ project includes 53,000 panels which are installed at the firm’s Martorell plant outside Barcelona. The panels are spread over an area of 270,000 square metres – equivalent to the size of 40 football pitches.

They are expected to generate 15 million kWh of clean electricity and save around 7,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year. The plant also uses a combined heat and power unit, which cuts emissions by a further 12,800 tonnes of carbon per year.

Some of the solar panels, installed by Gestamp Solar, are in parking lots under which SEAT can store new cars (pictured) to protect them from the elements.

Since the carmaker turned the ignition on the ‘SEAT al Sol’ project in 2010, it has invested €35 million (£29.3m) in it. The efforts are part of wider environmental commitments made by its owner Volkswagen Group to boost the sustainability of its factories by 25% by 2018.