With energy costs continuing to rise and events around the world creating an uncertain marketplace for power supplies,
XYZ Machine Tools says it has taken more control by installing a further 352 PV solar panels on the roof of its 100,000ft² facility located in Devon.
Chris Hellier, operations and finance director, commented “We initially had several solar panels installed on our unit in 2023 and we started to see the advantages of using solar power straight away. With the testing of machines that we undertake and the uptake of electric vehicles by a growing number of staff, we investigated adding more panels to help reduce not only our energy costs but also to become less reliant on the grid.”
The installation of the additional panels was carried out by
Harvest Green Developments, who designed and delivered the rooftop solar system. Within days of the install, XYZ had already seen the benefits of the investment and there have been occasions when the whole of the factory has been powered by green energy. The amount of power created, used and also fed back to the grid is monitored using a suite of software from Solar Edge allowing XYZ to see the impact that the new panels are making.
Mr Hellier added: “We continue to investigate ways to help protect the planet here at XYZ. Biodiversity is a topic that is important to us, as we have shown with the ISO 14001 accreditation that we have. XYZ is already reaping the benefits of the solar panel installation, and we will be utilising the roof space of our new 30,000ft² extension due for completion in mid-2026 to help cut our energy costs and further reduce our reliance on the grid.”
Although installed in the sunny climate of Devon, the new panels don’t have to rely solely on bright sunlight to produce DC voltage, which is then converted to AC by a set of three invertors to allow the power to be used at the factory. Now operational, the system can produce a maximum AC power output of 109.82kW and importantly is predicted to generate an annual saving of 28.09 tonnes of CO₂ – the equivalent of planting 1,290 trees.
Mr Hellier concludes: “At XYZ we are constantly looking to reduce our carbon footprint. We installed a biomass boiler that heats the factory during the winter months many years ago. This, with the addition of these extra solar panels and the recent installation of multiple car charging points at the front of our building ensures XYZ is embracing our responsibility to the environment.
Commenting on the latest factory solar power instillation James Clifford, business development director at Harvest Green Developments said: “It has been a pleasure to work alongside XYZ Machine Tools on this latest phase of their solar journey. Expanding the existing installation with an additional 240 solar modules to create a 352 module system reflects their commitment to reducing both energy costs and carbon emissions, and it has been fantastic for our team to help support that ambition.
"From the outset, XYZ Machine Tools have been great to work with and their passion for creating a more sustainable operation has been clear throughout the project. We are grateful to have been trusted to deliver this next stage of their renewable energy investment and proud to help increase the positive impact solar energy is having across their site.”