Solar car parks cut electricity bills by £1,000 per space per annum

• New ‘Energy Bills Discount Scheme’ could cripple some UK businesses. Solar car parks offer low-cost, low-carbon alternative.

Long-term energy cost saving with no upfront capital investment.

• On-site renewable energy generation ensures reliable supply at a fixed price.

• Solar car parks provide a significant boost to customers’ net-zero journeys and provide a visible commitment to decarbonisation.

• Addition of solar-powered electric vehicle charge points will provide much needed low cost, low carbon, convenient destination charging infrastructure.

According to 3ti, the UK’s leading designer, installer, funder and operator of solar car parks (SCPs), organisations could save around £1,000 per parking space per annum on their electricity bills. Through a power purchase agreement (PPA), companies can take back control of long-term energy costs and secure a reliable supply of renewable energy with no upfront capital investment. The addition of electric vehicle (EV) charge points also provides much-needed low cost, low carbon destination charging infrastructure for the rapidly growing number of EV drivers on UK roads.

“Energy prices have risen steeply over the past 12 months, and with the Government announcing a twothirds cut to energy support for businesses this week, the future looks bleak and expensive,” says Tim Evans, 3ti founder and CEO. “We’re facing a perfect storm of rising energy prices, supply uncertainty and a need for accelerated roll-out of EV charging infrastructure. Whilst businesses are addressing these challenges, a thought for my grandchildren’s future and doing something to combat climate change might be a good idea too,” he says. “Solar car parks tackle all these issues simultaneously. The removal of the energy unit price cap at the end of March could prove disastrous for small- and medium-sized companies, and for many, it may be terminal. Cutting energy costs by generating electricity from the car park next to the factory could be a lifeline for them,” he concludes.

“Figures from Bionic currently place the average business electricity price at between 36.1p and 44.9p per kWh* which is clearly unsustainable,” he continues. “With power supply from a solar car park, companies can save around £1,000 a year for every space covered with a solar array. For a company with a car park of 250 spaces, saving a quarter of a million pounds a year on energy costs could be the difference between survival or closure. The car park is already there - companies can secure electricity supply, reduce carbon emissions and provide EV charging infrastructure without any capital expenditure. What’s not to like about that?” says Evans.

A 3ti customer retains ownership and continues to use its car park as normal, with the added benefits of employees, customers and visitors being able to park under cover with reduced light pollution, improved safety and security. 3ti finances the infrastructure, selling the renewable energy generated to the customer through a multi-year PPA. This means that SCP customers are shielded from future price fluctuation and supply uncertainty, enabling them to manage on-site energy generation, carbon emissions and the provision of EV charging facilities.

“3ti manages the project from start to finish, dealing with everything from initial designs and planning applications to installation, grid connection and ongoing operation and maintenance,” Evans explains. “Solar car parks turn underutilised spaces into renewable energy power stations providing a much-needed solution to the growing challenge of energy cost inflation and carbon reduction. They provide long-term cost control and bypass concerns over potential supply volatility in the face of ongoing global unrest and creaking national infrastructure. SCPs are a striking, visible commitment to decarbonisation and help customers work towards net-zero targets. Finally, with the addition of EV charge points, SCPs can help roll out crucial, convenient and affordable destination charging infrastructure ahead of the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.”