Immersa Ltd
Harnessing Renewable Energy
Webbs Garden Centre
Webbs Garden Centre were conscious of their carbon footprint and wanted to do something about reducing it. Immersa worked with Bavenhill to install ground mount solar and over 1MW of battery storage.
This impressive installation is now the 1st paralleled DC coupled system in Europe.
Project Overview
Webbs Garden Centre began as a family run business in 1925. Over time, it has expanded from supplying local garden enthusiasts to offering lifestyle products and foods. Now, it has 3 award winning garden centres across the country.
Webbs Garden Centre carry out several highly demanding activities that require masses of power from the grid day to day.
They have always prided themselves on their commitment to caring for the environment. So, they recognised the importance of reducing their carbon footprint at their Droitwich site.
Over the course of 8 weeks, Immersa worked with Bavenhill to design and install the best solution for Webbs. This would impact both the environment and the business in a positive way.
Working with Bavenhill
Immersa has worked with Bavenhill, a family run engineering company, for many years. We have assisted them with the design and installation of both solar P.V. and battery storage systems. Our knowledge of the solar and battery industry combined with theirs of the agricultural industry, has allowed us to build a brilliant relationship.
Immersa pride ourselves on working closely with partners before, during and after all projects.
Whether we deliver the installations ourselves or work with you on the design we are here to assist.
With Webbs, we designed, supplied and installed two ground mount solar arrays. We also designed and supplied a 1MW containerised battery system that was installed by Bavenhill. We provide full support and ensured we were readily available to partners during and after installations.
Robs knowledge on the renewable industry is second to none, and he has built a team around him of equally knowledgeable and dependable people.
Design and Engineering
The ground mount project at Webbs Garden Centre involved meticulous planning due to its scale. Immersa conducted a thorough feasibility study to ensure the project could be carried out successfully and efficiently.
To begin, analysis of the site’s usage was carried out and annual consumption reports were provided to us. We used this information to design a bespoke system and provide forecasts on reduced expenditure after installation.
A 960kW ground mount solar array paired with a 1MW containerised battery solution was the final proposal.
We explained the proposal to Webbs and informed them why this was the best option. We designed Immersa’s solution to enable the client to generate and store electricity, reduce energy demand from the grid, and generate incomes and savings.
Finally, Immersa navigated permits and secured necessary approvals from local authorities and utility providers in order to proceed with the solar installation. We provided full funding solutions, asset management. We also provided O&M to assure the customer that they can reach out whenever they made need.
Installation
Immersa’s team of solar installers have worked on various installations each with differing renewable technologies. Due to its size Webbs needed a system that would maximise the energy being produced.
Of the 960kWp of solar onsite, we directly DC coupled 440kWp to the battery system and used the battery inverter to output AC electricity to the garden centre. We connected the remaining 520kWp using traditional P.V. inverters to power the garden centre.
A grid export limitation was also present. Therefore, an external G100 limitation device had to control all AC inverters, both solar and battery. This device will derate inverter outputs to prevent exceeding the export limitation set by the DNO.
Webbs’ system presented several complexities due to its hybrid coupled battery system. However, Immersa’s team of experts avoided any hiccups and completed the job in 8 weeks.
As a business, we specialise in renewable systems for agriculture, and in that capacity we have used a number of different manufacturers. The simple fact of the matter is that whilst there may be cheaper manufacturers in the market, they cannot compete with the level of after sales service we get from Rob and his team. A UK based support network is, as we have discovered, critical to the successful implementation of what is still relatively new technology. We look forward to installing many more systems in the near future.
In Summary
Immersa and Bavenhill collaborated closely throughout the project, ensuring its success. We take pride in building strong relationships and delivering excellent service with all our partners.
As a result, Webbs Garden Centre is now effectively reducing their carbon footprint with our ground-mount solar and battery storage system.
If you are interested in finding out more on how Immersa can work with you on commercial projects, please get in touch today. One of our experienced advisors will be in touch to discuss your requirements.