A 55-acre garden has made progress towards bolstering its energy efficiency by installing a solar panel canopy.

Batsford Arboretum, near Moreton-in-Marsh, has made the installation within one of its car parks.

The new addition is considered a major part of commitments to lower the garden's carbon footprint and further the adoption of renewable energy sources.

 

 

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Stuart Priest, the director of operations at Batsford, came up with the idea and desiged the solar panel's framework.

Fabricator David May of D.M. Services took on the construction, while Evesham’s Aspey Energy, a company specialising in renewable energy solutions for domestic and commercial properties throughout the South West, handled the solar installation.

The 94-metre steel frame structure, which runs a Y-shape through the middle of the car park, has been colour-coordinated in red and black hues to match the trio of Japanese-style iron bridges within the arboretum.

The structure is obscured by surrounding trees at the car park's entrance.

Matthew Aspey, founder and managing director of Aspey, said: "It was truly an honour to be entrusted with such an exciting project.

"We worked diligently to ensure that our renewable energy installation seamlessly blended with the picturesque landscape of Batsford Arboretum.

"We’re excited about the potential this installation holds and look forward to witnessing the impact on the arboretum.”

The project follows the addition of the arboretum’s 2011 visitor centre, which boasts key environmental features, including a ground-source heat pump and rainwater harvesting capabilities.

The solar panels are expected to cut CO2 emissions by 10.9 tons annually, which equates to the absorption capacity of over 500 trees, and is expected to result in a substantial reduction in Batsford’s yearly energy costs by almost a third.

The Batsford Foundation, the charitable trust overseeing the arboretum, has backed the project, hoping to promote a greener future through innovative ecological solutions.