Natures Menu
Thetford 

The ambition

With a focus on providing natural, high-quality pet food, Natures Menu is one of Europe’s largest pet food brands. After relocating to a new factory, Natures Menu approached RenEnergy to tackle their increased energy consumption. Combined with an increase in energy prices, generating their own energy on-site became an operational priority for Natures Menu.

The solution

We completed a large solar panel installation to reduce the firm’s reliance on grid energy. We successfully negotiated a number of challenges: a large flat roof in an exposed area meant the panels were susceptible to uplift in winds, combined with a lightweight roof unable to bear substantial weight.

We selected specific options to accommodate the lightweight roof. We added hard-wearing walkways to protect the roof and provide ease of access for maintenance and incorporated a sacrificial layer under the panels to protect the manufacturers’ warranty on the newly-installed roof.

522.6kWp

Total installed capacity

1,608

Solar panels installed

20

Inverters installed

“As the leading producer of high-quality natural pet foods, we believe that this long-term investment in green energy facilitated by RenEnergy is a major signal of our commitment to modern pet parents, who care for both their pets and the environment they live in.”

Mike Bedford, Compliance Manager, Natures Menu

The benefits

  • East-west panel layout increases energy density to offset as much of load as possible. An East/West array allows us to install up to 80% more capacity on the same area compared to a South facing array, so is a good option for high usage sites with limited space

  • When the solution was designed, it was estimated that the solution would generate 15% of the building’s annual demand at the time

  • The solution saves money on electricity, thereby increasing profitability

  • Estimated annual CO2 savings of 205,000kg

  • Demonstrates a commitment to environmental responsibility which complements the brand’s nature-conscious ethos

  • System design is bespoke to Natures Menu, tailored to their needs and challenges

  • Hard-wearing walkways protect roof, and provide ease of access for future roof and panel maintenance

  • Sacrificial layer installed under panel feet protects manufacturer’s warranty on the newly-installed roof

CO2

Annual saving
of 205,000kg


Natures Menu
Thetford 


Note that all estimated performance figures are calculated using industry-standard systems and norms, assume ideal operating conditions, and would have been estimated as at the time of the installation. CO2 equivalent analogies source

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