As part of an ongoing environmental commitment, bathroom manufacturer Roper Rhodes has announced a “substantial” investment to install solar panels on the roof of its Portbury Distribution Centre.

Further to a successful structural survey and planning permission being granted, work on the installation on the 20,000sqm roof will begin later this year.

Once the panels are operational, the business will become self-sufficient using clean energy and assist in meeting the UK’s need to treble its solar energy output by 2030, to keep pace with net zero targets.

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Operations director Will Steele remarked: “At first glance the UK may not appear to be the most obvious choice for solar panels, however the system we will employ will generate 600 KwH during daylight hours, providing not only enough for our own consumption but with spare to give back to the National Grid.”

Although this is the largest project of its kind the company has invested in, Roper Rhodes has already undertaken initiatives to improve the company’s environmental impact.

Solar panels were installed on the Brassmill office in Summer 2018 and Roper Rhodes reports they provide a “significant” contribution to powering the building where more than 70 people work.

In addition, following a trial, Roper Rhodes has invested in more than 30 Tesla cars for its national sales team.

This has also meant the roll out of multiple charging points at both Roper Rhodes sites to enable all employees to plug in whilst they are at work.

The company is also trialing a fully electric delivery vehicle, a 3.5t long wheelbase van for customers in the Bath and Bristol area.

Roper Rhodes reports it will lead to permanent additions of electric delivery vehicles to the fleet later in 2022.

Furthermore, a task force was established a year ago to help reduce wasteful packaging across all categories, which has resulted in a reduction of 79% in cardboard use and a 20% reduction in plastic.

Managing director Leigh Leather commented: “I am really pleased our new parent company Svedbergs shares our commitment to protecting the environment and has agreed to invest in such an ambitious project.

“The implementation of the solar panels at Portbury mark a fundamental change to the way we will be efficiently managing our energy for many years to come.”

CEO of Svedbergs Group Per-Arne Andersson added: “This investment is part of Svedbergs Group’s sustainability work where we purposefully reduce our climate footprint.

“During our 100-year history, we have always focused on managing resources and reducing our environmental impact.”