Commercial Solar & Battery Installation for Stanton Nurseries, Pensford

The result

A 49.67 kWp solar and battery system designed to reduce operating costs and increase energy independence for Stanton Nurseries.

The project is estimated to generate 42,228 kWh of electricity a year, deliver an approximate £7,648 financial benefit in year one and achieve a four-year payback.

When Phase Energy found the originally selected fibre-cement roof was too fragile to install on safely, the project was reworked to include overcladding before the solar installation proceeded – future-proofing the building as well as the energy system.

At a glance

The client’s objective

Stanton Nurseries had considered solar in the past but had not previously gone ahead. The business wanted to reduce electricity costs and ongoing operating expenses while becoming less dependent on grid energy.

Battery storage was also important because the site uses lighting for plants overnight. The intention was to retain more of the solar energy generated during the day so that it could contribute to electricity demand outside daylight hours.

The Phase Energy solution

Phase Energy designed a 49.67 kWp solar PV system using 108 AIKO Neostar 460W panels on the selected south-facing commercial roof. The solar array was paired with a Growatt MID inverter and six Growatt APX 5 kWh battery modules, providing 30 kWh of stated battery storage.

The client chose to start with one battery stack and monitor how it performs in practice, leaving open the option of reviewing storage requirements later.

Why the system was designed this way

The chosen roof was south-facing and was the area the client wanted to use, so the design maximised the available space on that roof. The DNO approved the proposed generation but imposed a 50% export limit. Battery storage therefore had an additional role in helping the site retain more generated electricity rather than relying on export.

The system was designed around the nursery’s operating needs rather than simply filling the roof with equipment. The aim was to combine a substantial solar array with storage that could support energy use beyond daylight hours, particularly the lighting used for plants overnight.

Installation

This project changed significantly once work began. When Phase Energy inspected the fibre-cement roof that had originally been selected, the team found multiple cracks and areas that were too fragile for them to be comfortable installing the solar system safely.

Rather than proceed on a roof they considered unsuitable, Phase Energy stopped and discussed the available options with the client. After considering other buildings and possible approaches, the client agreed that Phase Energy’s roofing team would overclad the original roof before the solar installation continued.

The additional roofing work increased the scope and cost of the project, but it also meant that one of the main buildings on site was being future-proofed at the same time. The full project took approximately a week to complete.