Surrey manufacturer Respirex makes use of Electron Green's solar panel funding

Surrey-based manufacturer Respirex has become the first company to make use of a funding pot from solar developer Electron Green to have panels installed on the rooftops of its buildings at Redhill.

Electron Green started installing the panels last month at no cost to Respirex, which will also pay nothing for their maintenance.

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In the first year, the panels will generate 89,000kWh for the business, which makes and maintains gas tight suits, chemical splash suits, chemical, and nuclear equipment for the public and private sector.

It will reduce the firm's use of electricity from the grid by almost 25% and save £10,500 on its energy bills.
Over 25 years, the reduction in energy bills means Respirex is likely to save more than £500,000.

"We are delighted that the first installation from our funding programme of up to £1 bn is with such an impressive, economically valuable business," said Daniel Green, the CEO and founder of Electron Green.

"Respirex enables their clients to manage hazards with more certainty – now we’re helping Respirex manage its energy usage with more certainty too."

He added: "Ultimately, net zero targets aren’t going away, and we will continue to see a fall in fossil fuels and increase in demand for cleaner electricity.

"Businesses need the confidence that there is capacity to match greater demand, and flexibility about how they can pay for it. We’re here, with our funding programme, to solve this problem."

Mark Simpson, managing director at Respirex, added: "There is significant, global demand for advanced and specialist PPE – as domestic and international hazards increase in volume and complexity – and we’ve built a reputation as one of the world’s leading providers.

"Electron Green’s solar installation and management provides us with certainty about long-term, future energy expenditure, so we can invest in strategic planning with greater confidence.

"The projected cost savings are also particularly attractive at a time when we – and indeed almost every British business – are facing such challenging conditions."

Electron Green launched the funding of up to £1 billion in a bid to support UK businesses at a time when energy bills are escalating.

Research this year by the UCL Energy Institute for CPRE, the countryside charity, showed that retrofitting solar to non-domestic rooftops in England alone could meet over half the UK’s solar target for 2035.

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