A total of 13,000 solar panels have been installed at Toyota’s engine manufacturing facility in Deeside, North Wales. This array can produce almost 3.5 million kWh of electricity a year — equivalent to 10% of the energy required by the site, which produces petrol and hybrid engines for the Auris and Avensis models.
The official switch-on was carried out by Edwina Hart, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Business Minister, who said: “This impressive development certainly ‘ticks all the boxes’. It is a major investment in renewable energy that will significantly cut CO2 emissions.
"Toyota is a highly valued ‘anchor’ company working in one of our key sectors. It makes a significant contribution to the Welsh economy and the business community in Wales.”
Jim Crosbie, Toyota’s Deeside plant director, said: “The significant investment we have made in the new solar array marks a major advance for Deeside and Toyota Manufacturing UK in our mission to minimise the environmental impact of our operations, cutting carbon emissions and powering our production in a way that’s cleaner and more environmentally efficient.
“It demonstrates that, while Toyota is famous for building lower-carbon vehicles, we are just as focused on developing ‘greener’ production methods and nurturing awareness of environmental issues among our members, as well as our local communities.
"The solar array won’t just reduce our ‘carbon footprint’, it will demonstrate to the wider Welsh and UK manufacturing sector the tangible benefits that renewable energy can deliver.”