Installer Engenera Renewables has submitted plans for 20MW of additional solar capacity at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in north-east England.
The application is for a further 37,000 solar panels which will enable Nissan to move closer to its aim of becoming a carbon neutral company by 2050 if it is accepted.
In effect, this is enough to build every single zero-emission Nissan Leaf sold across Europe – an important staging post towards the company’s ambition of electrifying all the vehicles it manufactures by 2030.
Engenera Renewables would operate the expanded solar array for a period of 40 years, after which the site will be decommissioned and returned to its existing condition.
Approval of the plans would also kickstart a second phase of decarbonisation plans for Nissan, also delivered by Engenera, which would involve solar car ports, EV charging stations, and a range of renewable heat solutions.
Engenera is one of the few renewable energy companies in the UK able to offer renewable energy installations at no capital outlay to customers able to sign power purchase agreements (PPAs).
This is because it can access a £100m green bond programme that is financed by multiple PPAs arranged by Engenera.
Engenera chief strategy officer Lloyd Lawson said: “The proposed expansion of the Nissan Solar farm site is incredibly exciting for both Nissan itself and the wider economy of the North East.
“Projects like this one at Nissan’s manufacturing plant in Sunderland ensure that we can be in the vanguard of renewable technologies and production and lead the way when it comes to carbon neutrality and implementing strategies that puts the planet first.”