October 25, 2013 3.26 pm This story is over 124 months old

Lincolnshire Co-op to put solar panels on eight more stores

Green investment: Work has started on a £120k solar energy project that will see eight Lincolnshire Co-operative stores fitted with solar panels by a local firm.

Riseholme Road Foodstore and Filling Station will be among eight Lincolnshire Co-op outlets to receive solar panels as part of a £120,000 energy project investment.

Work has started to install more than 320 photovoltaic panels to the roofs of stores around the area by Freewatt Renewable Energy, based in Stow, near Lincoln.

The project follows Lincolnshire Co-Op’s agreement to have solar panels fitted to its Winning Post Foodstore and Filling Station, in Lincoln in April 2011.

Since then, these have produced 18,026 kWh of energy which could keep around six homes running for an entire year.

As well as two other sites which are yet to be chosen, the selected stores include Long Sutton Foodstore, Newbridge Hill Foodstore in Louth, Alford Foodstore and The Bridge Foodstore in Newark.

When all eight sites are completed, they are expected to produce in excess of 71,000kWh of energy a year – enough to power 258 fridge freezers for a year.

Each year the solar panels are also predicted to save more than 37,000kg of Co2 which is equal to 21 years’ worth of Co2 generated by the average house.

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Store Development Manager Matthew Wilkinson said: “Cutting our energy use is something we’re constantly working on, be it with more efficient freezers, LED lighting or Smart Meters to measure what energy we’re using and where.

“Every bit of green energy we produce helps the environment and we’re excited to be following on from our successful solar panel trial at Winning Post with eight more sites.”

Freewatt Renewable Energy is the leading solar photovoltaic design and installation company for Lincolnshire and the surrounding counties.

Freewatt CEO Julian Patrick said: “We are really excited to be working with Lincolnshire Co-op. The organisation shares many of our values about the community and the environment we live in so it’s fantastic to be a partner in this development.

“The Co2 reduction is good news for the environment and delivering this project is good news for a local business like Freewatt.

“It’s always great to work on a project where everyone is a winner.”