Manufacturer makes power as the sun shines

Cable cleat manufacturer, Ellis Patents, has installed 173 solar panels at its Rillington headquarters in North Yorkshire.

It means the business has now invested over £400,000 in solar power, with over 400 panels now producing more than 250,000KwH per annum.

In real terms, this investment equates to 50% of Ellis’ energy bills being covered by solar generated power across the year.

Danny Macfarlane, managing director, said: “The solar panels have been installed in three phases since 2020, and we have a fourth planned for 2024 that will see another 128 added.

“This will see us produce nearly 300,000kWH a year, which for a high energy using manufacturer like us, represents an enormous cost saving.

Danny Macfarlane

“We’ve grown significantly as a business since I joined in 2003, and as we’ve grown, we’ve done so in a manner that ensures we are as energy efficient as possible.”

This approach has seen Ellis Patents concentrate heavily on green initiatives over the last two decades, a period that has seen its headquarters expand by over 500% to 50,000 sq ft.

The company is ISO14001 accredited, which demonstrates its commitment to improving its environmental performance and sustainability through a process of continuous improvement.

Macfarlane added: “At a time when many manufacturers are seeing huge increases in material and energy costs, we are so grateful that those early decisions to go green have helped not only save the environment, but secure a sustainable future for the business and its employees.”

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