Bentley Motors and 3ti partner on solar array

UK solar provider 3ti has installed a 2.6MWp rooftop-mounted solar array across ten buildings at Bentley Motor’s carbon-neutral factory in Crewe.

The move, which is part of the vehicle manufacturer’s ‘Beyond 100’ strategy to be carbon-neutral by 2030, coincides with the 10th anniversary of solar panels at the Pym’s Lane site.

The solar installer has worked with Bentley for five years, and installed a 10,000 panel solar car park at the facility in 2018. Last year, it created Papilio3, a pop-up solar car park, which was provided to Bentley. Made from a shipping container, it offers solar-powered electric vehicle charging for 12 vehicles simultaneously, giving both staff and visitors access to free charging.

Once operational in November, the new arrays will add more than two megawatts of energy generation at the site, taking the overall capacity of the 60,000 m2  of panels to over 10 MW, which provide up to 75 % of Bentley’s daytime electricity demands, reducing the equivalent CO2 emissions by 407,477 tonnes annually.

Andrew Troop, Sales Director at 3ti, said: “Bentley is an exemplar in pursuing bold end-to-end carbon neutrality targets and investing in clean, renewable solar energy. It long ago recognised the substantial contribution that solar can make now and into the future, and this latest installation signals Bentley’s commitment to achieving its sustainability goals.

“Any organisation with large car parks or rooftops has a potential power station that can be harnessed with our solar, battery and EV charging solutions.”

Sebastian Benndorf, Director of Production Planning at Bentley Motors, added: “The exciting addition of further solar panels at our Crewe headquarters supports Bentley’s ongoing commitment to its Beyond100 strategy to ensure the highest levels of luxury sustainable mobility. It is part of a vision to transform a 103-year-old luxury car company into a new, sustainable role model for the entire automotive industry.”

Image courtesy of 3ti

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