Prologis Europe is pleased to share its latest success in rooftop solar. Prologis wins 10 German renewable energy contracts Prologis Europe has been successful in winning ten on-roof solar contracts as part of the German government’s latest Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) tender. Prologis was one of the largest bidders
Banks Renewables is expecting to invest over £100 million to develop Pond Energy Park, which will see a section of an industrial park near Bathgate re-designed into a two-hectare battery site. Plans are expected to be submitted later this year and Pond Battery Storage will have an export capacity of
SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE Stand N3… A gull wing solar parking structure at Solar & Storage Live is set to demonstrate how organisations can provide their own green electricity to meet the growing demand for EV charging points. SIG Building Solutions, exhibiting at the show for the first time, is
Shell Energy UK Limited (“Shell”) has signed an agreement with Norsk Hydro ASA (“Hydro”), a global leader in aluminium and renewable energy, to help decarbonise its UK operations. The three-year agreement will cover the annual supply of 144 gigawatt hours of natural gas and 56 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity
By Steven Dale Sometimes there are straws in the wind which can make you reassess the way the future of a particular technology or trend is likely to shape up. I have come across some of them recently in this corner of the North of Scotland. Over the course of
GLP recently announced the completion of a major solar photovoltaic roof installation at G-Park Zevenaar. G-Park Zevenaar is a 133,000 SQM logistics complex, and represents a major development in renewable energy by GLP Europe. G-Park Zevenaar is a significant solar PV project for the Netherlands. The logistics complex will house
Yorkshire Water has signed 15-year agreements with SGN Commercial Services and Centrica Energy Trading that will see biomethane gas to grid plants introduced at its Knostrop and Blackburn Meadows wastewater treatment works. Biogas is produced as a by-product of Yorkshire Water’s sewage wastewater treatment processes and can be upgraded to
GLP, the leading global investment manager and business builder in logistics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy and related technologies, and Syzygy, Europe’s leading consultancy in renewable energy, energy storage and electric vehicle infrastructure projects, have completed work on G-Park Zevenaar. Syzygy has supported GLP for the past three years to establish
Electric remotely operated vehicles (eROVs) that perform maintenance and repair tasks on offshore wind turbines are being developed by the National Robotarium in partnership with Fugro, the world’s leading Geo-data specialist. Deployed from Fugro’s uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), the companies are working closely together to explore how the offshore energy
With the new solar power stations, Antilooppi takes yet another significant step towards a carbon-neutral real estate portfolio by 2030. The company’s own renewable energy production also responds to customers’ growing expectations for climate-friendly premises. Antilooppi has commissioned two new solar power stations, increasing the number of its own solar
Prologis Europe is pleased to share its latest success in rooftop solar. Prologis wins 10 German renewable energy contracts Prologis Europe has been successful in winning ten on-roof solar contracts as part of the German government’s latest Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) tender. Prologis was one of the largest bidders of the 88-contract auction, winning a contract for every bid submitted. The German government is accelerating the deployment of rooftop solar, announcing increased auction capacity from 650MW in 2023 to 900MW in 2024. Prologis Europe operates approximately 3.15 million square metres of logistics real estate within Germany, with a total generation of 25MW of rooftop solar. These 10 contracts will add more than 16MW to Prologis’ solar portfolio, supplying energy to more than 11,000 German households per year. It expects to be able to assist the German government in reducing their CO2 emissions annually by approximately 13,300 tonnes. Prologis Europe works with the public sectors in its 12 European markets to support the needs of local communities and businesses. These rooftop solar efforts increase capabilities of municipalities and local governments to generate clean, renewable energy locally, creating a more resilient and dependable source of energy as well as meeting sustainability goals. According to Sean Greany, head of Energy, Prologis Europe, “We’re proud of our efforts into solar energy production and battery storage, which provide our customers and communities with increased access to clean, renewable energy as they transition from fossil fuel. Since the installation of our first solar panel in 2005, we have been pushing the boundaries in our industry—leveraging our scale, global presence and local expertise to help expand the generation of solar power and support the transition to renewable energy.” Community Solar in Europe Community solar is still fairly new in Europe but is surely gaining traction. Governments and communities are looking for sources of clean, renewable energy at affordable rates. Industrial real estate, with large roofs on which to place solar panels, can be a tremendous source of solar power. The Spanish government, for instance, are prioritising clean, renewable energy within Spain. It has a goal to ensure 74% of electricity is generated from renewable sources by 2030, and 100% by 2050. Prologis Europe is working with one of its customers on a rooftop solar project in Madrid through its Prologis European Logistics Fund (PELF). In line with its clean energy strategy, it is part of Prologis Europe’s intent to be the largest community solar investor in Spain in 2024 and beyond, by expanding the size of this rooftop solar project and others in the pipeline. With these new contracts in Germany, Prologis Europe continues to expand the areas where it is partnering with government agencies to help support the transition to clean energy. Prologis achieves 500MW Solar Milestone Rooftop solar and storage installations on Prologis Inc’s global portfolio can now generate 500 megawatts of energy—a significant milestone that puts the company halfway to its 1GW by 2025 goal. Apart from providing customers with clean power and potential cost savings through the Prologis Essential programme, its energy generation also feeds directly into local electrical grids in select regions, provides emissions-reduction and grid resilience benefits to local communities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Banks Renewables is expecting to invest over £100 million to develop Pond Energy Park, which will see a section of an industrial park near Bathgate re-designed into a two-hectare battery site. Plans are expected to be submitted later this year and Pond Battery Storage will have an export capacity of 200 megawatts over two hours. When fully charged, this project will be enough to supply the average demands of 600,000 homes for that two hour period – more homes than Edinburgh and Glasgow combined. The new site is set to deliver opportunities for local businesses in areas like construction, groundworks, civils and remediation; with Banks’ flagship ‘Connect2Renewables’ initiative prioritising local businesses as much as possible when awarding contracts on their sites. The responsible developer is renowned for its onshore wind projects in South Lanarkshire – including the construction of the UK’s tallest and most efficient onshore wind turbines at its Kype Muir Extension site near Strathaven. Gordon Thomson, projects director at Banks Renewables said: “The proposed Pond Battery Storage project in West Lothian marks a very exciting time for us here at Banks Renewables. “Battery storage projects like this are becoming increasingly important in Scotland’s push for net zero. When it’s not sunny or windy, battery energy storage can allow us to dip into the reserves by using pre-generated energy in the batteries to supply to the national grid and reducing our reliance on energy derived from imported fossil fuels.” The first in-person consultation events will occur on 12 October, from 2pm – 7pm, at the Jim Walker Partnership Centre in Bathgate. Here, members of the community will be invited to give their thoughts, help shape the proposals and highlight key local priorities which could be addressed using community benefits. Battery storage, or battery energy storage systems (BESS), are devices that store and enable energy from renewables, like solar and wind farms. Natural fluctuations in weather conditions mean that renewable electricity generation can often be out of step with demand and batteries can address this by storing surplus generation when demand is low and releasing it when demand is higher – maximising the efficiency of renewable energy. Batteries are set to play a huge role in the country’s push for net zero, reducing the reliance on large fossil fuelled power stations. If approved, the site will be based at Pond Industrial Estate on Whitburn Road to the south-east of Bathgate. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE Stand N3… A gull wing solar parking structure at Solar & Storage Live is set to demonstrate how organisations can provide their own green electricity to meet the growing demand for EV charging points. SIG Building Solutions, exhibiting at the show for the first time, is erecting the galvanised steel structure, one of a number of canopy designs the group manufactures, on Stand N3. Over 250 exhibitors will gather at Solar & Storage Live 2023, October 17-19, at the NEC and the event is expected to draw over 20,000 attendees. It is the UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition celebrating technologies at the forefront of the transition to a greener energy system. SIG Building Solutions entered the solar car parking structure market late last year with a range of designs developed to help private and public sector organisations, which have large parking facilities, to capitalise on the opportunities the structures provide for capturing solar energy and reducing their carbon footprint. SIG works in conjunction with the solar system provider to provide the structure element. “After an exciting first year during which the interest in our solar canopy support structures has been phenomenal, we are excited to be at Solar & Storage Live,” says SIG Building Solution’s business development manager Guy Chilvers. “Our canopies have been designed for ease of installation, so erecting our pre-built gull wing version at the NEC will not pose a challenge.” Half of the gull wing structure at Solar & Storage Live will be painted to illustrate the possibility of applying customer brand colours and the other half will be left galvanised. Sustainable, intelligent lighting specialist IBond LED is providing the lighting technology. “With countries around the world banning the sale of fossil-fuelled vehicles in the years to come, customers and employees will increasingly travel in EVs. Solar car parks will keep them moving by providing charging capacity. At SIG Building solutions we have set out to work in conjunction with the client’s PV solar panel provider to help them generate their own clean electricity using their parking spaces,” adds Guy Chilvers. During its first year, SIG Building Solutions has worked with clients including a local authority, a motor manufacturer, leisure centre and business park to manufacture and supply structures for circa 500 solar parking spaces. SIG’s three basic styles include double gull wing, double mono and single row structures to support PV panels. The canopy specification depends on the client’s requirements and on-site analysis. SIG’s investment has resulted in a range of unique structures that require less steel, so reducing cost, and can be installed efficiently to minimise disruption to car parking during construction. The use of Z600 galvanised steel maximises the life of the structure and minimises maintenance over its lifetime. Its low weight reduces the cost of foundations. The structures are manufactured at SIG facilities in the UK from UK held steel, enabling quick project turnaround. The SIG Building Solutions’ canopies are watertight. No steel sheet is required on the canopy support structure, the PV panels (manufactured by others) form the canopy using SIG’s mounting solution. New product launch at Solar & Storage Live Join SIG Building Solutions at Stand N3 at 10.30 on Tuesday, October 17, for the launch of its new solar panel ground mounting structures. More details to be announced. SIG Building Solutions SIG Building Solutions group businesses produced over two million metres of profiled steel sheeting in 2022. Building Solutions is part of SIG plc, a leading supplier of specialist insulation and sustainable building products and solutions with an emphasis on expertise and service. SIG plc has 6,800 employees, 432 sites and 250,000 product lines and is committed to supporting customers make tangible steps towards a greener future. For more information, contact Guy Chilvers, SIG Building Solutions, on 07528 777513 Email: GuyChilvers@SIGbuildingsolutions.co.uk www.sigbuildingsolutions.co.uk www.ledibond.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Shell Energy UK Limited (“Shell”) has signed an agreement with Norsk Hydro ASA (“Hydro”), a global leader in aluminium and renewable energy, to help decarbonise its UK operations. The three-year agreement will cover the annual supply of 144 gigawatt hours of natural gas and 56 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity to the company’s UK sites. As part of the deal, Shell Energy will supply electricity backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates* generated from the Rhyl Flats Windfarm.[1] Situated 8km off the coast of Llandudno, the 25-turbine site has 90MW of installed capacity. The ability to provide 100% renewable electricity demonstrates Shell Energy’s ability to help its customers decarbonise their operations and accelerate their transition towards net-zero emissions. Hydro is headquartered in Norway, with operations around the world in a broad range of markets including aluminium production, energy, metal recycling, renewables and battery manufacturing. In the UK, its primary activities include extrusion, fabrication, recycling, die manufacturing, surface treatment and thermal break. Hydro is intent on leading the way towards a more sustainable future and creating more viable societies by turning natural resources into products and solutions in innovative and efficient ways. Its product portfolio continues to evolve, with sustainable offerings that are significantly less carbon intensive (per kg) to produce than the primary global average of virgin aluminium,[2] while the company is also working hard to accelerate its transition to net-zero emissions. Lars Lysbakken, Energy Portfolio Manager at Hydro, commented: “While extensive research and development is helping to significantly lower the carbon intensity of our products, looking for new and innovative solutions to help decarbonise our wider operations is considered a board-level priority. “When it came to finding the perfect energy partner, we wanted to identify a long-term collaborator that could support our transition to net-zero. Shell Energy demonstrated extensive understanding of our business, our sector, and our ambitious decarbonisation roadmap. “The ability to provide REGO certificates from the Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm was another important part of the agreement. While we’re committed to using less energy, it’s positive to know that our operations will now be powered entirely by asset-specific renewable electricity.” In 2022 alone, Shell invested $4.3 billion in low-carbon energy solutions,[3] and has already reduced its own Scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions by 30%.[4] To help to transform the energy system, the company is focused on driving a shift towards renewable electricity;[5] developing low and zero-carbon alternatives to traditional fuels (including biofuels, hydrogen, and other low- and zero-carbon gases); working with its customers to decarbonise their use of energy; and addressing any remaining emissions from conventional fuels with solutions such as carbon capture and storage and carbon credits.[6] Greg Kavanagh, Head of Industrial and Commercial Sales at Shell Energy added: “Rather than a transactional agreement, we see our contracts as long-term strategic collaborations that provide Shell Energy with the opportunity to accelerate customer progress in reaching net-zero emissions. “In the case of Hydro, we were able to offer a solution that perfectly aligned to its sustainability ambitions. We’re looking forward to working closely with the company to offer our knowledge, guidance and support over the longer term.” To find out more about Shell Energy, visit uk.shellenergy.com. [1] Main site for the first 12 months of the contract. More information can be found here: https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/240657/ [2] https://www.hydro.com/en-GB/aluminium/products/low-carbon-and-recycled-aluminium/ [3] https://reports.shell.com/energy-transition-progress-report/2022/financial-framework/investing-in-net-zero.html [4] https://reports.shell.com/energy-transition-progress-report/2022/our-performance/absolute-emissions-progress.html#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20our%20total%20combined,with%202016%2C%20the%20reference%20year [5] https://reports.shell.com/energy-transition-progress-report/2022/decarbonising-our-portfolio/transforming-the-energy-system.html#:~:text=provide%20more%20electricity%20to%20customers,their%20use%20of%20energy%3B%20 [6] https://reports.shell.com/energy-transition-progress-report/2022/decarbonising-our-portfolio/transforming-the-energy-system.html Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
By Steven Dale Sometimes there are straws in the wind which can make you reassess the way the future of a particular technology or trend is likely to shape up. I have come across some of them recently in this corner of the North of Scotland. Over the course of carrying out energy performance certification in my area, I have noted an increase – small, but significant – in the number of homeowners with solar PV panels who are buying and installing solar batteries rather than exporting their excess electricity production to the National Grid. Now there are arguments both for and against this kind of considerable investment in the energy future and, at first glance, it just does not seem at the moment that solar batteries are worth the substantial financial outlay that they require. But as electricity rates remain high – more than double what can be made by supplying to the Grid using the Smart Export Guarantee – does it make sense to store excess energy for later personal consumption? Are battery adopters simply future-proofing their homes? For now, the numbers are on the side of those solar panel users who export their excess generation for a financial return of around 15p per kWh. More than 1.2 million UK households have panels on their roofs but the number using batteries is only around 10,000. This is understandable, since the average cost of a battery is prohibitive for many at between £4,000 and £8,000, and most people will have to buy two over the lifespan of their system. In a typical home, it could take more than 20 years to break even. But what the early adopters are perhaps seeing in advance of everyone else is that the cost of solar batteries is decreasing at the same time as energy prices rise, meaning that, in the foreseeable future, saving the electricity they generate may well become profitable. A recent study by academics in Finland suggested that battery prices would need to drop to about one-third of their current levels for them to be a viable investment for residential power systems. Looking to the future, this is perhaps not inconceivable. There is growing optimism not only for the UK battery manufacturing industry, but also for production world-wide. By 2030, according to the Faraday Institution, around 100 GWh of supply will be needed in the UK to satisfy the demand for batteries for private cars, commercial vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, buses, micro-mobility and grid storage. This demand is equivalent to five gigafactories, with each plant running at a capacity of 20 GWh per annum. By 2040, demand rises to nearly 200 GWh and the equivalent of ten gigafactories. As production gathers pace, prices will almost certainly fall. Depending on circumstances, batteries could make sense for homeowners, and certainly in my part of the country increasing numbers of people are betting on them. But, like all nascent technologies, solar advances are fast-moving and what may seem like the most attractive option now may be less so a few years down the line. Whatever develops, though, it’s pretty certain that green energy will be better than what went before. Steven Dale is a Surveyor in the Peterhead office of DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.
GLP recently announced the completion of a major solar photovoltaic roof installation at G-Park Zevenaar. G-Park Zevenaar is a 133,000 SQM logistics complex, and represents a major development in renewable energy by GLP Europe. G-Park Zevenaar is a significant solar PV project for the Netherlands. The logistics complex will house a vast roof-mounted solar PV system with a total installed capacity of 16.2MWp. It covers an area the size of 21 football pitches and will save 4,629 tonnes of CO2 in the first year and an anticipated 78,227 tonnes of CO2 across a 25-year period. G-Park Zevenaar is located at the business park 7Poort, located in the established and strong logistics region of Arnhem – Nijmegen which is ranked 5th in the Dutch Logistics Hotspot Ranking 2022. The site is located closely to the German border and along the main transport corridors connecting Rotterdam and Amsterdam to the European markets. G-Park Zevenaar has been constructed to BREEAM Excellent principles and the use of PV has enabled the project to be certified as BREEAM Excellent. In addition, the energy generated will be exported to the grid and part of it will be diverted to the tenant for on-site consumption. Throughout the installation and construction process, measures have been taken to protect indigenous birds and plants, benefiting local nature. Philippe Hendriks, Country Director, Netherlands, GLP Europe, commented: “Embedding renewable energy generation, including solar PV, is critical for investors, developers, landlords and occupiers to achieve their net zero targets and future-proof assets. GLP is actively committed to this change in the logistics sector. The economic benefits that customers will enjoy through the cost savings in energy reduction will be just one of many attractions this project will offer to future occupiers. ” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Yorkshire Water has signed 15-year agreements with SGN Commercial Services and Centrica Energy Trading that will see biomethane gas to grid plants introduced at its Knostrop and Blackburn Meadows wastewater treatment works. Biogas is produced as a by-product of Yorkshire Water’s sewage wastewater treatment processes and can be upgraded to separate methane from the other component gases. This upgraded biogas is called ‘biomethane’ or ‘renewable natural gas’. As part of the deal, biomethane gas to grid plants will be designed, developed and operated at the two sites. The biomethane will then be injected into the local gas network via underground pipelines and used as a renewable fuel, either in vehicles, homes or industry. Once operational, the plants shall produce roughly 125GWh of biomethane annually, enough to heat more than 10,000 homes. Tom Hall, head of bioresources at Yorkshire Water, said: “We’re excited to be working alongside SGN Commercial Services and Centrica Energy Trading to make best use of the biogas Yorkshire Water produces through sewage treatment. “We already benefit from biogas-fuelled renewable energy generation, but this project demonstrates our commitment to using markets to improve our operational efficiency, reduce customer bills and facilitate carbon emissions reductions in the wider economy.” It is hoped the biomethane gas to grid plants will be operational at Knostrop and Blackburn Meadows in early 2025. SGN’s business development director Marcus Hunt said: “SGN is committed to delivering a greener gas grid and continuing to be at the forefront of providing heat to UK homes and businesses. “We’re delighted to announce this partnership with Yorkshire Water – it adds to our ambition to increase biomethane injection into the gas network to provide local customers with green gas and support decarbonisation plans.” Kristian Gjerløv-Juel, director for renewable energy trading and optimisation at Centrica Energy Trading commented: “This agreement marks an important milestone for Centrica’s biomethane activities in the UK. Having recently expanded our capabilities to handle trading, nomination, and transportation of green gas in the UK market, we’re working to accelerate biomethane production across Europe and using our capabilities to help businesses deliver on their green procurement strategies and reduce emissions.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GLP, the leading global investment manager and business builder in logistics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy and related technologies, and Syzygy, Europe’s leading consultancy in renewable energy, energy storage and electric vehicle infrastructure projects, have completed work on G-Park Zevenaar. Syzygy has supported GLP for the past three years to establish the company’s pan-European solar PV strategy, as well as the tactics to make its portfolio more sustainable through embedded renewable energy generation. G-Park Zevenaar is a 133,000 SQM logistics complex and represents a major investment in renewable energy by GLP Europe. The site is one of four in the company’s PV programme. G-Park Zevenaar, located at the business park 7Poort, close to the German border near the Rhine River, is a hugely significant embedded solar PV project in the Netherlands. The business park houses a vast roof-mounted solar PV system with a total installed capacity of 16.2MWp. It covers an area the size of 21 football pitches and saving 4,629 tonnes of CO2 per year and an anticipated 78,227 tonnes of CO2 across a 25-year lifespan. The impressive development was installed by solar deployment leaders Ecorus BV and is set to achieve BREEAM Excellent certification. At nearly 11.5 hectares, G-Park Zevenaar is now the second largest solar PV installation on a logistics building in the Netherlands, and among the top 20 largest installations in Europe. The project was granted the SDE++ subsidy – a government-funded incentive to stimulate sustainable energy production and facilitate the wider energy transition. In addition, the energy generated will be exported to the grid and part of it will be diverted to the tenant for on-site consumption. This will improve revenue potential and deliver the benefit of Guarantee of Origin (GoOs) to both the landlord and occupiers. Stefano Fissolo, Senior Director for Renewables at GLP Europe, commented: “Through our collaborative partnership with Syzygy, GLP is set firmly on its path to achieve its net zero goals through the development of one of Europe’s largest PV installations. The economic benefits that customers will enjoy through the cost savings in energy reduction will be just one of many attractions this project will offer to future occupiers. This is only the start of our ambitious European renewables programme; we’re excited to roll out further projects and utilise the latest technologies to maintain our industry-leading position in sustainability.” John Macdonald-Brown, CEO of Syzygy, commented: “It has been an incredible journey to get to this point with our friends at GLP. This started in March 2020 as we all went into lockdown with a deep dive research project to support the development of a pan-European renewable energy strategy for Natali Cooper and Nick Cook at GLP. These projects do not happen overnight and we can only praise the extraordinary work our European research Director, Cecile Bousquet who has led this initiative since we started. We are just the supporting cast. We cannot thank GLP enough for their drive and commitment to actually ‘getting things done’ and showing real leadership in this space. GLP has had their customers at the heart of this strategy throughout – it is impossible to deliver decarbonisation, at scale and in a commercially sustainable way, without genuine collaboration with your customers. GLP’s plans from here are impressive and there is much more coming down the line which is really exciting. Zevenaar is the second Netherlands project to have been delivered, but its scale is quite extraordinary – the size of 20 football pitches, generating enough power to supply 3,000 homes or to drive over 4.5m emission—free miles in an electric vehicle!” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Electric remotely operated vehicles (eROVs) that perform maintenance and repair tasks on offshore wind turbines are being developed by the National Robotarium in partnership with Fugro, the world’s leading Geo-data specialist. Deployed from Fugro’s uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), the companies are working closely together to explore how the offshore energy sector can benefit from advancing this autonomous technology. The £1.4 million Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies (UNITE) project aims to dramatically improve health and safety for workers by reducing the need for potentially hazardous offshore maintenance missions conducted by crewed support vessels. The remotely operated robotic systems will address a number of additional sector challenges including supporting industry to reduce carbon emissions, improve offshore turbine productivity through reduced downtime, and make maintenance and repair exercises more cost-effective and timely. The UK has more than 11,000 offshore wind assets around its shores, with thousands more planned by 2050. On average, each turbine requires up to three maintenance check-ups per year and this figure increases as turbines age and require more maintenance to stay fully operational. Current industry maintenance methods involve vessels travelling into and working in areas of open ocean where a mix of trained divers and ship-based crews manually inspect and or deploy tele-operated robots for repair of individual wind turbines. When applied to the whole of the UK’s offshore wind sector, this translates into potentially hundreds of thousands of crewed maintenance missions every year which are costly for business, contribute emissions to the environment and present a safety risk for workers. In addition to supporting the uncrewed and remotely operated vessels, the pioneering research project will help develop autonomous and semi-autonomous ROVs capable of conducting subsea inspection, maintenance and repair tasks which can be monitored onshore whilst remotely deployed and operated from anywhere in the world. Researchers will specifically focus on developing technologies which allow robots to build more accurate maps of the subsea terrain to better navigate obstacles and targets. The project will also explore how robots autonomously interact with underwater structures, such as grasping or moving objects, whilst being subject to external forces like changing currents or rough seas. The project will be delivered by researchers from Heriot-Watt University and Imperial College London working within the National Robotarium, the UK’s leading AI and Robotics centre, in collaboration with Fugro and funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation. The National Robotarium is part of the Data-Driven Innovation initiative, supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4 million from the Scottish Government. The initiative aims to turn Edinburgh into the data capital of Europe and is part of the wider £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal. Prof. Yvan Petillot is academic co-lead at the National Robotarium and principal investigator of the UNITE project. He said: “We’re only a generation away from our obligation to deliver on our net zero promises by 2050 and 2045 in Scotland, so can’t afford to let the challenges faced by the offshore renewables sector slow down the construction and operation of essential, green energy assets like wind turbines. “Remote inspection and repair using robotic systems deployed in the field and controlled from shore is within our grasp. The long-term ambition is for crewless boats to be able to do this autonomously without direct human control based on a predetermined maintenance cycle – critical if we’re to see the widespread adoption of robotics in the rapidly expanding offshore wind sector. “The National Robotarium’s partnership with Fugro presents an exciting opportunity to develop this next generation of underwater technologies as well as the skills and expertise needed to support the transition to net zero. UNITE has enormous potential to power the UK’s offshore renewable sector and beyond, delivering worldwide economic and environmental impact that can benefit communities around the world.” Mark Bruce, Global Product Manager – Next Generation ROV Systems at Fugro, said: “As the expansion and influence of marine robotics stretches ever further across the marine industry, we are committed to leading the industry’s remote and autonomous revolution. Key to this is overcoming the challenges of remote operations by increasing our awareness and autonomy level in the sub-sea environment. It’s an exciting time as we bring more USVs and respective eROVs into the market, working on commercial projects across Europe providing greater agility, safety and sustainability.” UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said: “This pioneering research into remote robotic systems will create the next generation of underwater technologies that will reduce carbon emissions, increase productivity and make offshore work safer. “The UK Government has invested £21 million in the National Robotarium to foster their world-leading research and support high quality jobs, investment and growth. This is part of £2.3 billion for regional projects levelling up right across Scotland.” Scottish Government Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said: “This innovative research is another example of the valuable work conducted at the National Robotarium, which benefited from Scottish and UK Government support through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. “It recognises the growing and changing requirements of offshore wind businesses and can help boost productivity in an industry which is key to the just transition from fossil fuels and promises to create substantial numbers of well-paid green jobs. “As outlined in the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, delivering on our climate obligations is an absolute priority for this Government – but so too is our unwavering commitment to ensuring the journey to net zero is fair and just for everyone.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With the new solar power stations, Antilooppi takes yet another significant step towards a carbon-neutral real estate portfolio by 2030. The company’s own renewable energy production also responds to customers’ growing expectations for climate-friendly premises. Antilooppi has commissioned two new solar power stations, increasing the number of its own solar power stations to six. The solar power stations were commissioned at Tallberginkatu 2 in Ruoholahti and Valimotie 21 in Pitäjänmäki. The solar power station at Tallbergintalo began operating on 10 May 2023 and the station at Valimo 21 on 22 May 2023. The stations are a continuation of Antilooppi’s investments in solar power production with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality in its properties. The company’s first four solar power stations were completed in 2022. “In addition to improving energy efficiency, our own production of renewable energy is one of the key measures in line with our carbon neutrality roadmap. The solar power stations increases our energy self-sufficiency and produce clean and emission-free electricity for the needs of our properties, and it’s great that Tallbergintalo and Valimo 21 have also got their own power stations. This is yet another concrete step towards the carbon neutrality goal set in our sustainability strategy. This also supports our customers’ sustainability goals and growing expectations for climate change mitigation and sustainable premises,” says Hannamari Koivula, Head of Sustainability at Antilooppi. Produced by electricity provider Helen, the roof-based solar power stations strengthen the energy self-sufficiency of Antilooppi’s properties and reduce the amount of purchased electricity needed. The station at Tallbergintalo has a total of 70 roof panels and its total power output is 29 kWp. The estimated energy production in the first year is approximately 25 MWh. The station at Valimo 21 has 85 panels and a total power output of 35 kWp. The energy production of the station during the first year is estimated to be 32 MWh. The annual production estimate for all of Antilooppi’s solar power stations built so far is approximately 284 MWh. Towards carbon neutrality with ambitious goals Antilooppi plans to launch at least six new solar power stations in 2023. Of these, the station located at Hermannin Rantatie 10 in Verkkosaari is expected to be completed soon. Investigations of the implementation of stations are progressing rapidly at Siltasaari 10 in Hakaniemi, Itämerentalo in Ruoholahti and Merikortteli in Punavuori. The investments in solar power reflect Antilooppi’s commitment to accelerating the green transition and mitigating climate change. The company is known for its long-term sustainability work and its desire to be at the forefront of promoting sustainable development in the real estate sector. The goal is to achieve a completely carbon-neutral real estate portfolio by 2030. The company is making determined progress in its sustainability work. All of Antilooppi’s properties use 100% renewable electricity, and the heating of ten properties already comes from renewable energy sources. Antilooppi’s POOL flexible spaces, which are also located at Tallbergintalo, were recently launched as a completely carbon-neutral concept. In addition, the company plans to certify its entire real estate portfolio with the prestigious BREEAM or LEED environmental certification in 2023. Valimo 21 has already been granted the BREEAM In-Use certificate with a ‘Very Good’ rating, and the company now aims to raise it to the ‘Excellent’ level. Tallbergintalo achieved BREEAM certification in May. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
