Brighton & Hove City Council
Solar PV Framework
Capacity: 133kWp
Installation date: March 2019
Working in partnership with Ecosphere Renewables, Zestec installed 133kWp for several Brighton & Hove City Council schools under a 4-year Framework Agreement, secured via competitive tender.
During the first quarter of 2019, Moulsecoomb, Goldstone, Benfield, Bevendean and Hangleton Schools all made the decision to have fully funded solar PV systems installed Ecosphere Renewables and Zestec Asset Management (Zestec).
The brief was to design and install optimal sized solar PV systems based on on-site electricity consumption which delivered the maximum potential savings against ongoing electricity costs and carbon emission reductions in the short and long term.
Under Zestec’s power purchase agreement (PPA) scheme, Brighton & Hove Council schools will:
Reduce their electricity grid tariff by an average of 42% for the solar energy generated and consumed on site
Reduce total annual electricity bills by c.8%
Displace c. 41 Tonnes of CO2e each year
Achieve forecast savings of c.£436k over the 25-year lease term
As well as being important to the City Council and School sustainability & cost reduction objectives, this initiative provides pupils across the schools with individual lesson plans to help develop their understanding of the importance of being proactive in reducing carbon emissions and being more energy aware.
Brighton & Hove City Council own the school buildings and were actively involved throughout the process in ensuring consistency and standardisation of all documentation and consents as were required to be obtained across the Framework.
After detailed survey and due diligence, Zestec’s partner, Ecosphere Renewables designed and installed 5 solar PV systems totalling 130kWp using Trina solar modules and Solis inverters.
The criteria under which the Framework Agreement award was made including being able to demonstrate the following under a quality benchmarking approach:
- Delivering projects
- Successful model to finance projects
- Delivering social value
- Supporting school curricula and work on environmental education
In arriving at the decision of Brighton & Hove City Council to award the Framework Agreement to Zestec and Ecosphere, they determined it important to work with local partners who utilised the best technology available, had extensive expertise and offered a long-term, hassle free financing and active management renewable energy solution.
Now installed, all solar PV systems are actively monitored under long term operation and maintenance agreements.
90% of the solar energy generated onsite is forecast to be consumed by the schools; expected to be c.116,000 kWh per annum.
