Credit: E.ON
Up to 63,000 solar panels capable of powering more than to be installed at site on Merseyside
Peel Ports Group and E.ON have detailed plans to install the UK's largest roof-mounted solar energy system, across 26 buildings at the Port of Liverpool.
The project is set to deliver up to 31MW of capacity – enough to power more than 10,000 average UK homes for a year – and is expected to save an estimated 6,500 tonnes of CO2 annually.
The exact number of panels and their generation potential will be confirmed in the plan's final designs, but the array is expected to total up to 63,000 panels and generate up to 25 per cent of the Port's annual electricity needs.
According to an announcement yesterday, the project will be wholly contained within the footprint of the Port and will use existing roof space. The location means all equipment and technology for the project can be delivered directly to the port by sea, minimising the impact of development on local roads and infrastructure.
The project is being financed and delivered by E.ON with installation of the solar panels due to be completed by mid-2026. More than 6,000 solar panels have already been delivered to the Port ready to be installed on the new 240,000 square foot Alexandra Dock warehouse.
Peel Ports Group added that a second phase of the project to repower existing wind turbines on the banks of the River Mersey with fewer, larger turbines, could deliver a further 20MW of green electricity capacity. It is expected this phase could begin as early as 2027 following planning consent and consultation with the local community.
The planned Merseyside projects mark the first stage of a 25-year agreement between the two companies, which aims to help Peel Ports Group reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2040.
Claudio Veritiero, CEO at Peel Ports Group, said: "We're proud to be embarking on this long-term partnership with E.ON and to be undertaking this important project together, revolutionising the Port of Liverpool's energy system.
"Ports of the future need to become more sustainable environments and we must play our part in a greener supply chain. There is still work to do, but this project is a huge step for Peel Ports Group in cutting emissions and driving our ambition to become a net-zero port operator by 2040."
Chris Norbury, CEO at E.ON UK, said the Port of Liverpool is a critical piece of infrastructure for the UK and that decarbonising such sites will be vital for the UK to achieve its climate goals.
"Simply put, we all need to move faster on reducing emissions and this huge project will be a massive step in the right direction," he said. "We've been the energy supplier for Peel Ports Group for more than 20 years and I'm proud they're putting their trust in us and our relationship so far to create what will be a clean energy system fit for decades to come.
"Our sustainable solutions help businesses with their environmental ambitions and will be crucial if we are to meet the UK's 2050 net zero targets."
Planning applications for the sustainable energy project have been lodged with Sefton Council and with Liverpool City Council.
The news comes barely a week after a multibillion-pound tidal barrage connecting Liverpool and the Wirral peninsula was announced as the preferred option for the Mersey Tidal Power project, which hopes to generate clean power from the tidal stretch of the river.
Want to understand what is going on at the cutting edge of sustainability? Check out BusinessGreen Intelligence - the premier information for professionals focused on the UK's green economy.
