The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) has invested £1.3m in what it describes as the UK’s largest solar thermal installation, at its Ansty Park campus in Coventry. The system uses 1,965 VirtuHOT solar thermal collectors from British solar thermal technology company Naked Energy, covering 1,277m².
The MTC said the installation will make it less reliant on volatile energy markets. It also expects the system to cut its carbon emissions by 37 tCO2e a year, which it compared to the carbon absorbed by around 1,400 mature trees over a year.
The MTC employs more than 900 people in Coventry, Liverpool and Oxfordshire. It is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, which was established by Innovate UK. The MTC develops production methods and helps UK manufacturers adopt new technologies.
How the largest solar thermal installation will work
The collectors are installed on the roof of one of the MTC’s buildings at Ansty Park and will generate up to 786kW of heat. They are connected to an 8,000-litre water storage tank.
In the summer months, the thermal energy will power an absorption chiller, which will provide space cooling to the MTC’s manufacturing research facility. The collectors will also supply space heating and hot water for general use throughout the year.
The project was delivered and installed by engineering specialist SHEco Group, a West Midlands business. Its renewable systems arm designs and installs technologies including heat pumps, solar PV and solar thermal for industrial and commercial customers.
Heat demand and energy costs in UK industry
According to the release, heating accounts for around a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. Much of industry’s energy demand is also for heat rather than electricity.
The release noted that the UK has the highest industrial electricity prices in the G7. The companies said this is contributing to growing interest in on-site renewable heat across the sector.
Naked Energy said its Virtu product range allows industrial businesses to reduce their reliance on gas. The company also said the range can save up to 10 times as much carbon as standard solar PV panels.
Investment in Naked Energy
The MTC project follows an £8.875m investment in Naked Energy from Great British Energy and Barclays Climate Ventures. It was Great British Energy’s first major solar investment.
Naked Energy is also backed by E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions and says it has installed Virtu projects in more than 11 countries. Climate Global News has previously reported on the company’s solar heat project at the British Library.
What the partners said
Christophe Williams, co-founder and CEO of Naked Energy, said: “Industry and business have long presented the hardest sectors to decarbonise, particularly when it comes to heating and cooling. This project shows what can be achieved when renewable solar heat is designed as part of a modern system, resulting in increased efficiency and lower emissions.”
He added: “The energy transition isn’t a distant ambition. It’s gaining real speed, and solar thermal is ready to play its role in it.”
Joe Darlington, Chief Innovation Solutions Officer at the MTC, said: “The UK has a real opportunity to turn the transition to cleaner energy into industrial growth. That means developing British technology, demonstrating it at scale and giving manufacturers the confidence to invest.”
He continued: “At MTC, our role is to turn innovation into practical solutions for industry. By making this investment, we are reducing our emissions while demonstrating how British technology can help manufacturers become more sustainable and resilient.”
Adam Clark, Commercial Director at SHEco Group, said: “Many of our customers are asking how they can reduce their reliance on gas, and this project gives them a real-world example of what’s possible. Our partnership with Naked Energy combines British-designed technology with practical turnkey installation expertise, and the MTC scheme shows what that can achieve at scale.”
Frequently asked questions
Where is the UK’s largest solar thermal installation?
It is at the Manufacturing Technology Centre’s Ansty Park campus in Coventry. It consists of 1,965 VirtuHOT collectors covering 1,277m² on the roof of one of the MTC’s buildings.
How much did the MTC invest in the solar thermal installation?
The MTC invested £1.3m in the project.
How much carbon will the MTC solar thermal installation save?
The MTC said the installation will cut its carbon emissions by 37 tCO2e a year. It said this is equivalent to the carbon absorbed by around 1,400 mature trees over a year.
What will the solar thermal collectors at the MTC be used for?
The collectors will power an absorption chiller to cool the MTC’s manufacturing research facility in summer. They will also provide space heating and hot water all year round and are connected to an 8,000-litre storage tank.
Who installed the MTC solar thermal system?
The project was delivered and installed by engineering specialist SHEco Group, a West Midlands business, using technology from Naked Energy.
