Howarth Textiles
Background
Howarth Textiles Limited is a family firm, which can date back its origins to 1924. They are a critical supplier to many weavers located in the U.K.
Howarth Textiles import and supply yarns from their base in Nelson, Lancashire. This site sees certain formatting and conversion of yarns formats through mechanical processes. The property consists of an old mill building with a steel-framed extension.
The owners of the Company are committed to the success and expansion of the business by continual investment in new stock lines, new machinery, technology and services to ensure that our customers receive the premium services they require.
Howarth Textiles is also a landlord at the Nelson Site having a lease in place with a heavy manufacturing tenant at the premises.
Client Type
Owner Operator / Landlord
Industry
Textiles
Location
Nelson, Lancashire
Project Type
Tier One Solar Energy System – Roof Mounted
System Size
130kW
Installation Date
April 2018
The Brief
Howarths Textiles operate in a competitive industry, where operating margins are relatively tight. In order to continue their position as a market leader in the sector there is a constant focus on efficiency and cost control. As a result, Howarth were keen to reduce the burden of electricity costs on their business.
Their tenant is a relatively heavy user of energy and already had an agreement to purchase their energy from Howarth Textiles, through a sub meter on site. Howarth Textiles were looking to continue to offer a heavily discounted electricity cost to their valued tenant whilst increasing their margin on the energy sold to them.
The Solution
Centreco designed and installed a rood mounted tier one solar energy system for Howarth Textiles. By using the steel framed extension building Centreco managed to overcome the restrictions of the old mill building and match the electricity consumption profile of Howarth Textiles and their client through a 130kW installation wired and monitored to the meter and sub meters to allow output profile analysis and tenant billing.
The system utilised a specially reduced aluminium mounting system, the available roof area was maximised to include 476 x JA Solar 275w panels and Huawei inverters.
Outcome
Overperforming the original forecasts by some 7% by producing 107,000 kWhrs per annum, the 130Kw system is helping Howarths Textiles improve their overall profit margin and to create a stable low-cost platform from which to supply and charge their tenant with low cost electricity. A win, win for all parties.
Feedback
Howarth Textiles said
“The main driver for us to go ahead with this project was the opportunity to drive down the base cost of electricity in our business by forward-buying through the capital investment in the solar energy system. We were also committed to selling low cost electricity to our tenant.
We were paying an average of 14 pence per Kwhr from our energy supplier, the solar system allowed us to reduce that to only 3.9 pence through a 25 years, a massive reduction for us and a huge benefit which protects us from electricity inflation and allows us to reduce costs for our business and our tenant.
We are so pleased the system is over performing and Centreco’s service throughout has been first class.”
