Solar Power Drastically Reduces Bywaters’ Emissions

Bywaters has saved 361 tonnes of CO2 in just 9 months following the installation of the largest Solar PV array ever fitted to an existing building in London.

New Solar Panels Slash Bywaters’ Carbon Footprint

The 1000kW solar panel array on the roof of our main facility in Bow, East London, has had a massive positive impact in reducing carbon emissions associated with our waste management operations.

The amount of CO2 saved since the installation, which equates to the saving of 9,246 new trees, is already 40 tonnes more than was predicted for the full year.

Sustainable Energy for Our Materials Recovery Facility

The 4000 solar panels, installed on the roof of our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in December 2015, have so far generated 700MWh, providing most of the power needed for the facility to sort 650,000 tonnes of waste a year.

On track to pay for themselves within six years through electricity cost savings, the renewable energy from these solar panels significantly reduces the environmental impact of our operations, which – as a company that prides ourselves on making London sustainable – is a source of great pride for us.

Cleaning up London’s Air

With air quality an increasing concern in London – considered by many to be one of the biggest health threats facing Londoners today – such a significant reduction in CO2 emissions is especially important.

Bywaters’ solar installation underlines our company’s pioneering ‘London for London’ approach to the capital’s environment, and to our role in helping to improve London’s air quality.

Our Sustainability Team work with our clients to reduce their environmental impact, and help drive down their greenhouse gas emissions. Our aim is to reduce pressure on the earth’s primary resources and help build more a more sustainable future for London and the UK.

Preventing Emissions, Saving Money

Although the capital is not traditionally known for its sunshine (a day in May can typically generate eight times as much energy as a day in December), the results we have seen from the solar panel installation on our MRF have exceeded all expectations.

It’s also served as a fantastic example of what can be achieved by using already existing structures as platforms for renewable resources. The results that we have seen demonstrate how many emissions can be prevented if urban businesses invest in solar power.

To make a significant improvement to the environment, businesses need to step up and start to take action to minimise their carbon footprint. To achieve this it is important to point out the cost savings that come with sustainable energy.

It has been shown that, for many businesses, a 20% cut in energy costs represents the same bottom line benefit as a 5% increase in sales.

Part of Bywaters’ Aim to Lead the UK to a Sustainable Future

Bywaters is driven by our vision of a more sustainable future. Commenting on the success of the solar array, John Glover, managing director of Bywaters, said:

“Feasibility studies convinced us of the validity of using solar panels in the UK and, we are already saving more carbon than anticipated.  As well as reduced energy costs, the solar panels are enabling us to operate more sustainably.

“We have taken a number of decisive actions to clean up the capital’s air and believe in setting the benchmark for how businesses can carry out core processes without causing damage to the environment through harmful emissions.”