Award-winning, Modbury-based solar energy company, Eco NRG Ltd used an innovative, new system, designed in the UK, for its latest flat-roof installation on Cavendish House, an office block in Hastings.

Award-winning installer works with ‘world’s best’ for office installation

Award-winning, Modbury-based solar energy company, Eco NRG Ltd used an innovative, new system, designed in the UK, for its latest flat-roof installation on Cavendish House, an office block in Hastings. The latest Solion SunMount system has only been on the market for six months, so Eco NRG Ltd is one of the first to use it.

Eco NRG Ltd was appointed for the commercial installation in East Sussex, having impressed the business owner when carrying out a domestic installation previously. The company already had experience of large flat-roof installations, having installed a landmark rooftop solar panel system in Plymouth city centre for ADG Architects in 2011. ADG’s 20KW system consisted of 100 panels and was designed to harness solar energy equivalent to the electricity needs of around six average-sized houses. It is now cutting their electricity bills by up to 70%.

At 30KW, the Cavendish House installation is 50% bigger than ADG’s, and the office block owner plans to sell electricity back to his tenants at lower rates than utility companies.

Managing Director of Eco NRG Ltd, Nigel Jenkins, said: “Flat roof installations can be tricky, especially when they’re seven-storeys up, like the block in Hastings. We have to factor in wind resistance, and make sure that the roof can take the load of the panels and any additional ballast required. The Solion SunMount is a state-of the-art, low-ballast system that means the roof doesn’t need strengthening. Its panels are also very wind-resistant, so it’s ideal for high buildings.”

The SunMount system was designed in the UK by engineers working at South Bank University spin-out company, Solion. The panels have a unique aerodynamic design, “like an upside down aeroplane wing”, according to company director, Ian Sillett. “This means that in windy conditions, the panels are ‘sucked down’ to the roof, rather than lifted off,” he explained.

“The design was tested in lab conditions in wind tunnels, and for real in Scotland, and it performed brilliantly. We’re confident we’ve developed the lightest and best flat-roof mounted solar panel system in the world. We’ve got a UK patent and are now exporting all over the world, from Europe to Japan, Canada and the USA. One of our installations has already withstood three typhoons in Japan,” he added.

The Solion roof mounting is specially designed to require minimum loading and to be fixed without creating holes in the existing roof structure, avoiding the potential for future leaks. The system is also easy to assemble and disassemble, to facilitate any future roof maintenance or repairs.

“It’s a brilliant system to install, confirmed Nigel Jenkins. “It’s very well designed and just clicks together – a bit like giant Lego. We were able to install the panels on Cavendish House in just a few days, and the owner is now benefitting from cheaper bills as well as the feed-in tariff payments.”

Eco NRG Ltd is increasingly carrying out installations for commercial premises, public buildings and farms, as the potential cost savings on utility bills are so much bigger than for domestic customers.

Nigel Jenkins concluded: “Solar energy is a great investment. Not only do customers find their electricity bills are lower, but they’ll receive a guaranteed payback from the government for the next 25 years.”

For more information contact:

Corinne Farrell, 150PR, Tel: 07743 489843

corinne.farrell@150pr.co.uk

About Eco NRG Ltd

Eco NRG Ltd was established by MD Nigel Jenkins and Technical Director, Nick Skelley in 2009 to provide sustainable energy solutions. It supplies and installs solar photovoltaic systems which generate clean and efficient electricity; air source heat pump systems, saving on heating costs; and rainwater harvesting solutions. The company won green business of the year 2011 in the South Devon Business Excellence awards, was runner-up in the business growth category and was a finalist in the national ‘Start-ups’ awards of 2011 and the Western Morning News business awards. Eco NRG Ltd employs 28 staff, is the largest employer in Modbury and one of the leading solar installers in the South West. As a green energy company, it also employs a green ethos by:

running a fleet of five company Smart cars using diesel vans for installations installing solar panels to its business premises – these power its own forklift truck recycling as close to 100% of materials as possible being the first company in the SW to offer a European recycling scheme for solar panels.