PPS supports British Army with solar installations
Work is underway to install the first of four ground-mounted solar arrays at different Ministry of Defence (M0D) Barracks on sites developed by Public Power Solutions (PPS).
The first installation to kick off is a 2.3MW solar array at Leconfield Barracks, Beverley, East Yorkshire.
The other three projects are:
1.4 MW at Duke of Gloucester Barracks, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire
1.5 MW at Rock Barracks, Woodbridge, Suffolk
1.5 MW at Baker Barracks, Thorney Island, Sussex
PPS worked alongside the Army’s delivery partner, The Defence Infrastructure Organisation, carrying out all the project development work, including feasibility studies and grid works. PPS also utilised its bespoke renewables procurement framework to secure contractors to undertake construction work
The four pilot sites are being delivered as part of Project PROMETHEUS to increase renewable energy across the defence estate.
Together, the four pilot sites will result in £1million in efficiency savings and reduce emissions by 2,000 tCO2e per year. These cost savings will be reinvested into Army infrastructure and help to reach the Army’s ambition of Net Zero by 2045
Proposals also include improvements to the grassland maintenance with additional biodiversity enhancements for birds and reptiles on other areas of the barracks.
Steve Cains, Head of Public Power Solutions, PPS, said:
“We’re very pleased that PPS has been able to support the Army with its efforts to drive greater sustainability throughout its Estate. It’s exciting to see these solar projects now coming to fruition and proving that subsidy-free solar can help public sector organisations reduce their carbon emissions and save on their energy bills.”
Major General David Southall, Director Basing and Infrastructure and the Army’s Sustainability Champion, said:
“Project PROMETHEUS is an exciting pilot which will showcase renewable energy generation across the Army estate. When operational, we will learn from our four pilot sites and scale-up fast across the wider Army estate to help decarbonise the power we use.”
PPS previously worked on with the MoD to complete the procurement for Lyneham solar farm at the Defence Technical and Training College on the former RAF Lyneham airbase in Wiltshire, which was built in 2015 and at 70MW is one of the largest operational solar farms in the UK.