Member Article

Newcastle energy company agrees £26 million deal with BT

Newcastle-based company, UK Sustainable Energy Ltd, have announced a £26 million deal with BT, which will see the telecoms giant take 100% of the green energy generated by UK-SE’s new solar farm, near Ipswich, to help power BT’s Adastral Park research campus for the next 20 years.

The agreement, believed to be the UK’s biggest dedicated private scheme, will see Adastral Park, BT’s main research and development site at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, take a massive 8MW of power from UK-SE’s newly developed solar site at Brightwell.

The solar farm covers 16 hectares, equivalent to around 40 football pitches, and contains more than 32,500 solar panels.

UK-SE began life in 2008 as part of the Government funded National Renewable Energy Centre, but have operated independently since 2010, delivering millions of pounds of energy savings to clients the length and breadth of the UK.

From their headquarters located at St Peters Basin, Walker, Newcastle, the team identify renewable energy solutions such as solar, wind and biomass, for companies looking to reduce costs and their dependence on the national grid.

BT itself is a major consumer of electricity in the UK, using around two Terawatt hours (Twh) in 2013/2014.

It has reduced the energy needed to run its business for five consecutive years, cumulatively saving more than £131 million in energy costs.

This large-scale, long-term agreement is a vote of confidence in the UK renewable energy and supports BT’s continued commitment to securing all of its electricity from renewable sources.

CEO of UK-SE, Don Lord, said: “This is the largest dedicated private wire solar project anywhere in the United Kingdom and it is testament to BT’s willingness to engage and work with smaller business.

“From UK-SE’s perspective, this project has given us the credibility to roll out zero cost solar farms to many other UK and North East corporates which is undoubtedly a positive for the region with vast environmental benefits.

“We look to help both small and large businesses by providing a no obligation analysis of a company’s half hourly energy data (electricity and gas), which gives enough information to understand the opportunities for alternative energy sources and ways to save money for that business.”

BT’s regional director for the North East, Farooq Hakim, said: “Today’s announcement is great news. Not only has BT signed a deal with will reduce our impact on the environment but they have signed that deal with a company based here in Newcastle.

“With more than 4,000 employees living and working in the region it’s important that we support local businesses where we can and continue to contribute to the success of the North East.”

BT’s head of research and managing director of Adastral Park, Dr Tim Whitley, said: “As a leading technology centre for the UK, we have a responsibility to find innovative ways of reducing our environmental impact.

“This contract represents another great step in reinforcing our sustainable energy plans for the park and BT.

“This agreement will mean that the solar farm will supply up to 90 per cent of site demand on sunny summer days.”