Supporting Sustainable Development
The Rt Hon Caroline Nokes, Member of Parliament for Romsey and Southampton North visited Southampton Science Park on Friday 1st July to see a new renewable power installation and to reveal a smart monitoring unit that provides accessible and granular detail on its performance.
Solar panels have been fitted to the roof of Kenneth Dibben House in a move that will generate 207MWh of electricity and save 50 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. Since connection to the National Grid in late April, the system has already helped eliminate over 10 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the effect of planting 63 trees. The majority of the energy produced will be consumed by resident companies, with any surplus being sold back to the Grid.
Hosting the event, Science Park CEO, Dr Robin Chave, said: “It was a great pleasure to welcome Caroline back to the Science Park today. We are grateful for her long-term support for the evolution of our facilities here, especially as we work to quicken the pace of our efforts to minimise our environmental impacts – a topic that I know she cares deeply about.”
Ms Nokes said: “It is really good to be back at Southampton Science Park – I always find a visit here fascinating and inspiring and today is no exception. I’m also really pleased to see the Park leading on sustainable development in our region through initiatives such as renewable energy and alternative transport provision. This solar installation is certainly impressive, and I understand that it will make a big difference in reducing emissions over the next twenty-five years. I congratulate all involved in the project.”
Kenneth Dibben House, which comprises office and meeting space for a number of high-tech businesses, was revealed to be the prime location for solar power, following analysis conducted by Absolar, who are resident at the Park.
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