From car park to solar park

UK government grant helps university go net zero

07/17/2023 | Print view

This formerly disused car park at Cranfield University in the UK has been transformed with solar panels from Qcells. - © QCells — © QCells

This formerly disused car park at Cranfield University in the UK has been transformed with solar panels from Qcells.

A disused 4,000 square metre plot at the campus of Cranfield University in the UK has been transformed into an energy saving hub thanks to a government grant.

The project, now home to a 900-kilowatt ground-mounted solar plant, is built by renewable energy developer RenEnergy using Qcells technology.

It will allow the Cranfield University campus, located between Milton Keynes and Bedford, to deliver CO₂ emission savings of an estimated 377 tons per year, aiding the University’s goals to tackle climate change and take greater control of its energy independence.

16.3-million-pound grant from the UK government

Cranfield has been awarded 16.3 million pounds across two successful bids from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is initiated by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

See also: UK: Roadmap for 40 GW PV by 2030

Renewable energy developer RenEnergy specialises in solar PV and energy storage. Qcells manufactures solar cells and modules with a portfolio of intelligent storage systems, and offers a growing international pipeline of large-scale renewable energy projects. (mfo)