Styles & Wood is installing solar panels at a brown-field site in Bolton operated by the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA). The electricity produced by the 8,000-panel array will help to power three facilities at the site that process a total of 3,268 tonnes of waste and recycling every year.

Ian Dunning, head of energy at Styles & Wood, said: “This installation will help GMWDA to significantly reduce its energy consumption and operate more sustainably. Given the potential to generate revenue through the Government’s Feed-in Tariff, businesses have become even more interested in launching their own solar schemes. This has led to third-party investors setting aside funds for these projects, with the tariff providing a return on investment through solar deals. Solar is still one of the most viable ways of generating energy on smaller scales.”

Catherine Piddington, chairman of the GMWDA, said “The Salford Road facility already contributes to our target of 50% recycling and an 85% land-fill diversion rate by 2020. The addition of the solar array makes the contract more efficient and more environment-friendly.”