Jaguar Land Rover flicks switch on UK's largest rooftop solar system

BusinessGreen staff
clock

More than 21,000 panels set to provide 30 per cent of new Engine Manufacturing Centre's energy requirements

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has completed the UK's largest rooftop solar array at its £500m Engine Manufacturing Centre in the West Midlands.

The 5.8MW system consists of more than 21,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels and the company plans to extend this to 6.3MW by the end of the year.

It estimates the array will generate more than 30 per cent of the Engine Manufacturing Centre's energy requirements and reduce the plant's CO2 footprint by around 2,400 tonnes per year.

The site has achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent' rating through a range of efficiency measures, including heating and lighting systems designed to minimise energy demand, insulated cladding, maximising daylight through the roof design and harnessing natural ventilation via an automatic louver.

Energy monitoring facilities in the plant continually analyse the amount of energy being used and identify opportunities to reduce consumption of both electricity and natural gas, while JLR plans to create an ecological corridor across the bottom of its site for wildlife and install boxes, habitat piles, dead wood stumps and insect houses for small mammals, invertebrates, amphibians, bats and birds.

Trevor Leeks, the Engine Manufacturing Centre's operations director, said, "Our world-class facility showcases the latest sustainable technologies and innovations. The completion of the UK's largest rooftop solar panel installation here at the Engine Manufacturing Centre is just one example of this."

More on Solar

GB Energy: Schools, fire stations, and care homes to share £10m in clean tech funding

GB Energy: Schools, fire stations, and care homes to share £10m in clean tech funding

Great British Energy estimates £10m in clean power project grant funding will deliver £35m in lifetime energy bill savings for public buildings across England

Michael Holder
clock 17 July 2025 • 3 min read
Iceland Foods' solar schemes to generate more than 3MW of clean power

Iceland Foods' solar schemes to generate more than 3MW of clean power

Company's Swindon and Deeside distribution centres to generate enough electricity to power an average Iceland store for nearly six years, as first phase of PPA comes online

Stuart Stone
clock 14 July 2025 • 3 min read
UK and France set new solar generation records

UK and France set new solar generation records

Solar generation in the UK hits 14GW, providing nearly 40 per cent of the electricity mix

James Murray
clock 11 July 2025 • 2 min read