Nicky’s Grand Design

Nicky Michaels’ dream house was featured in Grand Designs Magazine

Why did you choose solar?

“Being eco-friendly was really important to the house build and we knew that solar panels were going to play a part in helping us keep our carbon footrprint down and ensure that our home really was an eco-home. We also had to make sure that any renewable technologies we put in would not impact our design. This was absolutely critical.”

Challenge

We had to design and install a system that not only provided Nicky and her husband Tony with the maximum generation from their system but also kept to the restrictions of being in a conservation area. The first system was installed in 2007 and was completed through the grants available from the government. Nicky and Tony decided that they wanted another system installed so they could take advantage of the Feed-in Tariff. The second installation required us to move the first system and put the new system in its place, as this would allow the system to generate the most electricity being in the ideal location in terms of pitch and direction.

Solution

We dealt with several obstacles by creating our own bespoke ballasted mounting system and arranging our installation around glass ceilings, a green roof and restrictive planning position.The two systems have provided Nicky and Tony with electricity to power their dream home whilst also being able to take advantage of the Feed-in Tariff. The Michaels’ home was even featured on the cover of Grand Design Magazines.

“Joju Solar provided a great service with both installs. Service was good, the system was installed and working from day one”

Metropolitan Police Training Centre

Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre receives specialist solar installation

Challenge

The Metropolitan Police wanted to help meet their carbon reduction targets and at the same time generate a long term revenue stream. The installation had to be completed within an extremely tight timeframe within a very complicated live operational environment: the riot police training facility is located beside the installation roof site.

Solution

Joju Solar are live environment retrofit specialists and were able to carry out this installation without any impact on the site’s operations. Our expert project management skills ensured that the project was installed on time and to budget. A  118 kWp system was installed consisting of  529 Sharp 240W Polycrystalline modules and multiple Solarmax inverters across two separate profiled metal roofs at the Training Centre in Gravesend. The system was mounted on a bespoke aluminium racking system especially designed by Joju Solar. The installation time was just two weeks.

“The construction process was well-planned and safely executed and the installations were completed within budget and to exacting timescales.” Martin Jameson, Compliance Director, John Laing Integrated Services.

Oxford Bus Company

Pioneering joint Solar PV venture between Oxford Bus Company and the Low Carbon Hub.

In 2013, Joju’s Commercial Solar Panels team installed a 143 kWp solar panel system on the roof of the Oxford Bus Company.  The system was funded by a community share offer, run by the Low Carbon Hub. It was a pioneering commercial solar panels project run by a community group working alongside a major local business.

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Low Carbon Hub

People’s Power Station project uses solar energy from community buildings.

Low Carbon Hub (LCH) is one of the most innovative and exciting community carbon projects in the country. The LCH works collaboratively with a range of other community organisations by helping them to develop their own low carbon projects.

One of LCH’s most exciting projects is the People’s Power Station. The closure of Didcot A power station in 2015 gave LCH the idea of replacing part of its capacity with solar energy from several hundred houses and community buildings.

The first building to form part of the People’s Power Station was a 12.65kWp solar PV installation on Eynsham Community Hall installed by Joju Solar. The project, a collaboration with GreenTEA caught the imagination to such an extent that it was opened by David Cameron in September 2012.

For coverage on Solar Power Portal, please see here. If you’d like to get in touch with the Low Carbon Hub then you can email them at info@lowcarbonhub.org.

Joju work closely with LCH and delivered a range of exciting solar projects throughout 2013/14.

Reading Borough Council

Reading Borough Council takes a lead on solar PV.

Reading Borough Council was one of the first UK local authorities to spot the opportunity of solar energy when they installed solar photovoltaic systems on 43 public buildings back in 2011

Once Reading Borough Council had proved that solar PV could work on their corporate buildings, the next step was to look at their social housing stock. Could they make an investment that would produce an acceptable rate of return, reduce fuel poverty and cut the council’s carbon footprint?

Careful design
As genuine solar experts, Joju Solar understood that getting the most from Reading’s investment meant:
carrying out an accurate assessment of roofs;
finding the right balance of fixed and variable costs when deciding system size; and
selecting the right components to secure the best system for the price.

Joju Solar conducted a full desktop survey of all potential properties, identifying the 450 roofs most suitable for the systems. The final proposal comprised nearly 7,000 panels with a total generation capacity of 1.67 MWp – equivalent to powering 720,000 smartphones for an entire year.

Happy Tenants
Joju Solar had considerable experience of tenant liaison, developed during previous social housing contracts, and worked closely with the council to generate awareness and enthusiasm for the project. Both partners knew that, to have the greatest impact, tenants had to understand what was going on and appreciate the benefits that they stood to gain.

Cllr Richard Davies, Reading’s Lead Member for Housing, said: “We worked very hard to select the houses according to their suitability for solar panels, but in fact all tenants benefited from the project because those whose homes did not fit the criteria were provided with help to find other ways to reduce their energy consumption and their fuel bills.”

Smooth installation
Using installation teams and project managers with experience from previous social housing projects, Joju set about installing 450 PV systems in three months.

Solar PV – a quadruple win
The Reading project has attracted positive coverage in the local press. Joju Solar Founder and Commercial Director, Joe Michaels, is delighted: “Solar PV is a quadruple win for social housing landlords like Reading,” he says. “It provides a guaranteed financial return, an extension on roofing life, assistance with fuel poverty targets, and carbon savings.”