17,000 solar panels to power Toyota’s Derbyshire plant

Toyota’s manufacturing plant at Burnaston in Derbyshire, where the Auris and Avensis are built, will install the biggest solar panel system yet seen in a UK car plant.
 
British Gas, which will stump up the £10 million cost of installing the solar panels, and Toyota are working together to save 2000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. Once the solar panels are installed, they claim it will save enough energy to build approximately 7000 cars a year.

The scheme will involve 17,000 solar panels spanning a total of 90,000 sq m of industrial land. The solar panels will generate electricity for use on the site and reduce the plant’s carbon footprint and cut overall power bills.
 
The development is part of Toyota’s ‘sustainable plant’ corporate vision where manufacturing is designed to work in harmony with the local community and environment.

Tony Walker, Toyota manufacturing UK deputy managing director said: 'We are already making a significant contribution to the UK’s low carbon economy with production of Auris Hybrid – the first European built full hybrid car. 

'Generating solar power on-site to supply electricity to the plant underlines our commitment to do even more to further reduce our carbon footprint and is yet another example of our environmental leadership.'
 
Installation work has already begun at Burnaston and the solar power system should be fully up and running by July 2011.

By Sarah-Jayne Harrison