Solar Panels In The Limelight As Bentley Welcomes Energy And Climate Change Minister

CREWE, UNITED KINGDOM – Oct 9, 2013: Bentley Motors today welcomed Greg Barker, Energy and Climate Change Minister, to its historic headquarters in Pyms Lane, Crewe, to find out more about the installation of over 20,000 solar panels on its factory roof.

During his visit to Crewe, the Minister met Members of Bentley’s Board and colleagues as he toured the Bentley factory, where the brand’s three main model lines - Continental, Flying Spur and Mulsanne - are manufactured. Focus then turned to the solar panel installation project, the biggest of its kind in the UK.

Michael Straughan, Bentley’s Member of the Board for Manufacturing, commented:

“The solar panels have generated over 2,200,000 kWh’s of energy since its installation in March, having a hugely positive impact on the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing operations. We’re very proud of the project and so are delighted to welcome Greg Barker to the factory and share the information behind that success.”

The solar panels are owned and operated by Lightsource Renewable Energy Limited and engineered, constructed and maintained by Solarcentury. They are set over 3.45 hectares of roof space and have a capacity of 5MW. The array generates enough energy to power over 1,200 households and is three times more powerful than the second largest roof mounted system in the UK.

It is anticipated that at peak generation times, the system will produce up to 40 per cent of Bentley’s energy requirements and reduce CO2 usage by over 2,500 tonnes per year.

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker, said: “Solar is a genuinely exciting energy of the future and the Coalition Government is committed to placing solar at the heart of the UK’s energy mix.

“Bentley’s solar project here in Crewe – the largest of its kind in the UK – is a fantastic example of how solar can work in practice. It’s generating a huge amount of energy, cutting costs and reducing carbon.”