The 712 KW rooftop solar project in Banbury/UK is owned and developed by social enterprise Low Carbon Hub.
CTG, a Banbury-based site of UTC Aerospace Systems, is now host to the UK’s biggest community-owned rooftop solar array. It is the first project for Low Carbon Hub within new feed-in tariff regime.
The 712 kW project is owned and developed by Oxford-based social enterprise Low Carbon Hub and was designed and installed by Solarcentury. Low Carbon Hub funded the upfront costs of the CTG project through a mix of loans and a community energy share offer.
Community benefit model
Tim Crisp, Business Manager at Low Carbon Hub said: “What made this project work in the context of massive solar subsidy cuts, was UTC Aerospace Systems CTG’s corporate goals for carbon reductions and their willingness to see the social and environmental value of our community benefit model.
Solar commited company
UTC Aerospace Systems’ goal is to be the greenest aerospace company in the world. CTG is one of UTC Aerospace System’s 126 manufacturing sites around the world. Their Singapore facilities installed solar panels in 2015, reducing emissions by 2000 metric tons of CO2 annually, the equivalent of 1 million kg of coal burned. John England, Site Director, UTC Aerospace Systems CTG said: “Our business is at the forefront of aerospace innovation and technology. We’re working on next generation aircraft that will enable greener flight. What we do inside our factory is reflected in what we do outside. Using our roof space to generate clean energy whilst also helping the local community is a win-win for us all.”
Over a dozen other projects
Other projects funded by Low Carbon Hub`s share offer include a 636 kW solar project with Prodrive (also in Banbury), a 440 kW community-owned hydro project at Sandford on Thames, and 12 solar PV projects on Oxfordshire schools. (HCN)
