Marks & Spencer has completed the installation of a 6.1-megwatt solar project on its East Midlands distribution centre in Castle Donington.
M&S has agreed a 20-year power-purchase agreement with Amber Infrastructure to buy electricity from the project. The project, the UK’s largest single roof mounted solar panel array, will generate over 5,000 MWh of electricity per year, the equivalent amount of energy to power 1,190 houses. China’s ET Solar provided the panels.
The 24,272 PV panel structure, which would cover 25 miles if the panels were laid end to end, will lower M&S’s carbon footprint by 48,000 tonnes over 20 years. The energy generated will provide nearly 25% of the energy required for the fully automated distribution centre, which is big enough to hold 11 football pitches.
M&S is aiming to source 100% of its electricity for UK and Ireland buildings from renewable sources, with 50% sourced from small scale renewable sources by 2020.