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Guernsey Electricity and Guernsey Post recently announced plans for the installation of the largest solar array in the Channel Islands, which both companies have said will help them reach "significant milestones" in the generation and use of renewable energy.
The new solar array will be approximately 200kW in size and will produce around 200,000 kWh of electricity each year.
Following the recent instalment of the solar PV array at the power station site, Guernsey Electricity will work with Guernsey Post to deliver their project.
The solar array at Envoy House has been planned to generate the equivalent amount of energy required to power Guernsey Post’s entire fleet of vehicles. This comes at a time when the company is aiming to convert to a fully electric fleet.
Boley Smillie, Chief Executive of Guernsey Post said it'll be a key project for the firm.
"I am very excited about the significance of this partnership with Guernsey Electricity. The prospect of an entirely electric vehicle fleet, the elimination of exhaust emissions and helping generate our vehicle energy requirements by solar power is within our grasp, it is no longer just an aspiration.”
By the end of 2018 Guernsey Post will have 40 electric vehicles in its delivery fleet, with a commitment to increase this number to 80 by the middle of 2019, at which time all the vehicles used for delivery within the Bailiwick will be electric.
“Our investment in electric vehicles has been a real success. Both maintenance and running costs are significantly lower than that of the fossil fuel alternatives. The positive impact on the environment is also significant. To put this into perspective, the benefit of an electric vehicle fleet rather than diesel means we will avoid producing more than 150 tonnes of carbon a year,” added Mr Smillie.
Pictured: Guernsey Post wants a fully electric fleet of post vans by the end of next year.
The installation at the postal headquarters will be twice the size of the recently installed solar array at the power station and forms part of Guernsey Electricity’s plans to install distributed renewable energy generation systems on the network.
Alan Bates, Chief Executive at Guernsey Electricity said, "We believe that all islanders should benefit in an equitable way from developments in the energy sector. This commercial scale solar array will feed into the Island’s network, so everyone can benefit from a higher percentage of renewable energy. Not everyone can afford to install their own array, but through this partnership with Guernsey Post we are enabling the island to diversify its energy supply on behalf of all islanders.
“The cost of large scale solar PV is now comparable with our other generation and provides additional security and independence of supply for the island and our customers.”
Guernsey Electricity supports embedded generation of electricity, particularly from renewable sources, and it is awaiting a revised energy policy to provide further direction to facilitate the connection of large and small renewable generators to the network.
Subject to planning approvals, there will be a tender process and it is hoped that the installation of the solar array at Guernsey Post will take place in the first half of 2019.
Pictured top: Alan Bates and Boley Smilie.
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