Forecourt Trader award winner Cobham Services has completed the installation of 810 solar PV panels in collaboration with Spirit Energy. As the busiest service station in Europe, owner Extra MSA says this marks a significant milestone in its sustainability journey.
The installation is one of the largest single-site solar projects at a UK motorway service area and is projected to meet 96% of the site’s annual energy consumption, as well as cut grid-supplied energy by 24% and significantly reduce Cobham’s overall carbon footprint. It is also expected to deliver significant financial benefits, saving an estimated £75,000 annually on electricity costs which will be reinvested into the business.
With the new system expected to generate up to 305,159kWh of clean energy every year, the new solar panels will take Extra one step closer to meeting its target of reducing energy consumption across its estate by 35% by 2030.
The installation at Cobham follows the recent addition of six ultra-fast Ionity chargers, bringing the overall total on site up to 24 ultra-fast chargers, all of which use 100% renewable energy.
Extra’s ESG manager, Micheal Grantham, says: “This collaboration with Spirit Energy is a landmark moment in our sustainability journey. A site the size of Cobham comes with significant responsibility and our work together has demonstrated what’s possible when innovation meets ambition. We’re proud to be setting a precedent for the motorway service sector and look forward to continuing our progress toward a greener, more sustainable future.”
Tok Charles, Technical Design Engineer at Spirit Energy, adds: “We’re delighted to have partnered with Extra MSA on the largest solar installation ever completed at a UK motorway service area. Extra’s proactive approach sets a new benchmark for the sector, proving that sustainable solutions can deliver for businesses, their customers and the planet.”
