Proposals for solar power at Kestrel Court submitted

Plans have been submitted for retrofit solar power to be installed at Errigal Developments' Kestrel Court office park and industrial estate near Burnley.

Property consultant Drivers Jonas Deloitte submitted the proposals on Errigal's behalf and claims it will be the largest retrofit solar power installation in the North West.

The scheme is being designed and installed by clean energy provider Gatehouse Energy Solutions.

Photovoltaic solar panels generating up to 120 kilowatts of power will be fitted to the roofs of all six buildings at the site, which includes almost 30,000 sq ft of industrial space and 17,000 sq ft of office accommodation.

Errigal is granting Gatehouse Energy Solutions a 25-year lease of the roof areas in consideration for which tenants of the estate obtain free use of the electricity generated.

Gatehouse Energy Solutions is financing the project by creating a special purpose investment vehicle enabling private investors to receive the benefit of a secure annual return from the generated income which qualifies for the Feed-in-Tariff payment scheme introduced by the Government in April 2010.

Drivers Jonas Deloitte said the tariff is paid for all electricity generated by the installation whether or not it is consumed on site or exported to the grid.

DJD added that where schemes are designed for 100% of the distributed generation to be exported to the grid there is a small additional top up export tariff.

DJD said the Feed-in-Tariff is fixed at the entry level and is paid quarterly for a 25 year period with annual adjustment for inflation in line with the prevailing retail price index.

Pending approval of the plans by Burnley Council, Gatehouse Energy Solutions will be on site at the start of next year.

The company, a subsidiary of Spanish renewable energy business Saveffi Solutions, has appointed Drivers Jonas Deloitte as planning consultant to advise on additional installations across the UK.

Graham Stock, partner from Drivers Jonas Deloitte, said: "Photovoltaic technology is well established, but now the advent of Government backed incentives and rising energy prices have made microgeneration schemes increasingly viable.

"For major occupiers, landlords and developers, retrofit solar installations are far more than a tick in the green credentials box, but actual investable assets which can deliver guaranteed and significant annual returns."