Hitherbest is delight to announce the recent installation of an extensive solar photovoltaic (PV) system as part of works to replace the company’s pitch roof and commitment to UK’s Net Zero goals.
Contractors Miller Industrial Cladding worked swiftly and professionally to ensure that production could continue at Hitherbest during the installation process.
Steel production and fabrication are carbon-intensive processes and as we seek to address and mitigate climate change, reaching net zero will require considerable investment. The solar PV system installed on the Hitherbest roof has a capacity of 50kW and could supply 25% of the company’s annual electricity consumption. In the 40 days since installation the solar system has yielded a CO2 reduction of 7,373kg – equivalent to the emissions generated by more than 12 flights from London to New York.
A recent report by UK Steel indicated that German and French steelmakers pay only 54% of the electricity costs of UK steelmakers, illustrating the competitive disadvantage that UK businesses in this and allied sectors face. The installation of a large PV system and a thermally-efficient roof at Hitherbest will yield significant long-term savings and enhance the competitiveness of the company at domestic and international level.
Recent events in Ukraine have underlined the need for the UK to increase its resilience and self-sufficiency. Hitherbest’s experience dictates that OEMs want to source their fabricated metal components from the UK but some have previously found the economic case to source from abroad to be compelling. Concerns about the environmental implications of the shipping of metal goods from other parts of the world, and the reliability of international supply chains, have prompted many of these OEMs to look again at domestic fabricators. By continuing to invest in its business, and in particular in clean energy generation, Hitherbest is well placed to provide these OEMs with a competitive, quality and customer-focused alternative to overseas suppliers.
