A popular visitor destination in Kidderminster has reached a significant milestone in its green energy project.
Bodenham Arboretum has completed a solar energy project involving the installation of 292 solar roof panels and the generation of 162 kilowatts per hour/135,000 kilowatts annually for its Visitor Centre and Farm,
Mark Garnier, MP for Wyre Forest, officially opened the site’s new 'Control Room' on Friday (June 12).
He was joined by pupils from Cookley and Wolverley Sebright Primary Schools, who had taken part in a lesson on how sunlight is converted into energy.
Sam Binnian, third-generation co-owner of the arboretum, said the project was made possible by collaboration between specialist teams.
Mr Binnian said: "The adoption of a renewable energy source bolsters our energy efficiency and reduces our carbon footprint and reliance on the grid which depends on fossil fuels to generate energy."
The system was designed and installed by ESP Energy, based in Shrewsbury, while National Grid managed the connection to a three-phase electricity supply.
According to ESP Energy, Bodenham’s system will reduce Bodenham’s CO2 emissions by 34 tons per year.
Over its lifetime of 25 years, it is also predicted that the energy saved will be the equivalent of just over 1,000,000 km of car travel or 718 long haul flights.
Alternatively, it will have had the same benefit of having planted just under 6,500 trees – something which resonates extremely loudly with Bodenham Arboretum.
A new display will soon be installed in the visitor centre to show live data on energy generation, consumption, and grid export in real time.
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