Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, has installed more than 2,300 solar panels on the rooftop of its National Distribution Centre in Hull.
The National Distribution Centre (NDC) is the first of several Arco sites across the UK that will benefit from rooftop solar energy, as the company moves away from a dependency on fossil fuels.
Similar installations are planned for Arco Safety Centres at Bracknell in Berkshire, Eccleshall in Staffordshire, and Linlithgow in West Lothian, as well as the Arco Clothing Centre in Preston, Lancashire.
Guy Bruce, Arco’s chief executive, said: “At Arco, we’re looking at every aspect of our business to see how we can reduce our impact on the planet.
“As part of our responsible approach to sustainability, we are constantly finding ways to improve the energy and carbon efficiency of our operations, including the use of renewable energy sources, intelligent LED lighting systems and low-emission vehicles.
“Renewable energy is an important part of our goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045, and just one way in which we are taking action to secure a safer tomorrow for businesses, people and the planet.”
The 2,352 solar panels have been installed by renewable energy specialist Heatsource Direct over the past few weeks, and from next month (May) they will provide about 50 per cent of the NDC’s power demand.
The panels will generate around 780,922 kWh of energy a year, roughly the same as the annual power consumption of 289 houses.
This will mean an annual CO2 reduction of around 182,276kg, equivalent to planting 7,291 trees each year.
