New build in Purfleet, Essex gets solar funding
Shields Environmental plc of Purfleet, Essex is at the forefront of solar power technology as the company gets funding for an innovative solar energy project.

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11th October 2004:

Energy Minister, Mike O'Brien announced today that seventeen new solar power projects throughout the UK were chosen for funding worth £1.4 million, out of total Government funding of £40m for solar.

Shields Environmental plc will benefit from the funding to develop a Photovoltaic (PV) system on a new building which will include 100 staff and a new redeployment and recycling centre. The PV system will generate eight per cent of the electricity, which the new building is expected to consume.

Shields Environmental plc provide asset management solutions for the telecommunications industry, for which part of their service includes redeployment and recycling. The company works closely with the Purfleet Industrial Estate to implement environmental improvements to the local area, and the Shields Environmental Office plays a significant role in the community in encouraging best practice.

This announcement round will support medium to high (5-100kWp) scale solar electric power installations under the Governments Major Photovoltaics (PV) Demonstration Programme.

Mike O'Brien said:

"This announcement places the East of England among the pioneers embracing innovative renewable energy. Solar power could become one of the main renewable energy sources for future decades. This latest round of successful applications is proof of its growing appeal throughout the country."

"Exciting and innovative projects like the one at Shields Environmental plc in Purfleet, Essex, will help take us a step closer to achieving our renewable energy target of 10% of electricity by 2010 and into the decades beyond."

"The ultimate potential that solar offers, even in our climate, is substantial. It is therefore important to maintain a position whereby the East of England and all of the UK can take advantage of the technology as the market develops. To that end, the Government has committed over £40 million to supporting solar projects throughout the UK."

Editors Notes

1. Kilowatt peak (kWp) is the maximum power output on a sunny day. Under UK conditions 1kWp of PV cells could be expected to produce around 750 kW hours of electricity in a year. The average household uses 3,000-3,500 kW hours. Thus a 2kWp system might meet about half of household's demand.

2. Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, announced the £20m First Phase of the Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Programme (MDP) on 26 March 2002. Prior to that the Government had supported the Domestic and Large-Scale PV Field Trials, providing £4.7m to develop 500 solar powered homes and a further £4.2m for 12 solar powered public buildings. The first round of funding under the £20m programme supported 8 projects (Press release 01/08/2002), 19 were approved in the second round (27/11/2002), 18 projects supported in the third round (10/03/2003), 21 in the fourth round (10/6/03), 12 in the fifth round (22/09/03), 16 in the sixth round (12/12/03), 16 in the seventh round (18/03/04) and 24 in the eighth. On February 12 2004 Mr Timms announced a further £5 million funding for the PV MDP, taking the total budget to £25 million, which should enable 2-3 extra rounds to be run in 2004/05. On 15 September, a further £6m was announced to enable the Programme to run for a further year to March 2006.

3. Further information about the Major PV Demonstration Programme can be found at www.solarpvgrants.co.uk or on 0800 298 3978.

4. The Energy White Paper - Our energy future - creating a low carbon economy -published in February 2003, increased funding for renewable energy projects to £350 million over four years. Copies of the White Paper can be found at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/index.shtml

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