Solarcentury and JD Wetherspoon deliver the UK's first solar powered pub
We have provided photovoltaic (PV) tiles for JD Wetherspoon's new "Green Pub" in Melton Mowbury.
The UK's first solar pub
The tiles will combine with a wind turbine to provide electricity which will employ a range of energy saving devices alongside its renewable electricity generation. Underfloor cooling, energy saving light bulbs and rainwater collection for toilet flushing will also contribute to what both companies hope will be a trend-setting new development in the leisure and hospitality industry.
The 4.16 kWp system employed at the pub utilises our award-winning C21e solar electric roof tiles, a unique PV product that closely resembles conventional roof tiles to stay in keeping with the design of the building. In addition, the tiles can be installed by a roofing contractor exactly as traditional roof tiles would be, with no need to alter the roof battens. The tiles utilise the most efficient PV cells in the world, and have a high power output of 52Wp per tile.
CompleteSolarRoof installation
The project represents a most ambitious ecological move in the hospitality industry, with a projected energy saving of 50% compared to a pub of a similar size using conventional energy methods. JD Wetherspoons has made a commitment to a 30% reduction in its energy usage throughout its 648 pubs, and the "Green-Pub" project looks set to lead the way in energy saving across the sector.
"Sustainable Development is an important part of Wetherspoon's expansion plans, and renewable energy has a large role to play in that," said Chris Large, New Development manager for JD Wetherspoon. "The company has set itself a demanding target of a 50% energy reduction in this pub, and with the help of Solarcentury's C21e system and other energy saving and renewable solutions, it's a challenge we're confident of rising to."
The c21e installation at the Print House, East London
Wetherspoon's investment in renewable energy technology is a part of its wide-reaching corporate social responsibility policy, the environmental aspects of which also include a commitment to recycling, support of sustainable timber for paper, and initiatives to reduce the amount of delivery miles travelled and packaging used in the company's operations.
"The Green Pub is a very encouraging signal from JD Wetherspoon," Charlotte Webster, PR manager for Solarcentury comments. "The company have been leading the hospitality industry on environmental issues for some time now, and Solarcentury is very pleased to be facilitating the next step in their sustainability strategy."