(July 31, 2011) Toyota and British Gas threw the switch to launch an industry-leading initiative in sustainable energy generation at Toyota’s Burnaston car plant this past week.

A vast solar power system — the largest installed by any UK vehicle manufacturer — has officially come on stream at the Derbyshire site, ready to help meet the factory’s electricity demand and reduce its carbon footprint.



The project adds to the plant’s impressive environmental profile as one of Toyota’s five standard-bearing worldwide “eco-factories.” Notably, Burnaston is also the production center for the Toyota Auris Hybrid, the first volume production full hybrid car to be built in Europe.

An “array” of about 17,000 solar panels has been installed at Burnaston. It has the capacity to save 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions from the complex each year, and realize an energy saving equivalent to 4.6 million kWh — roughly the power needed to build 7,000 cars a year.

The solar power system is complimented by a range of showcase energy saving features that have been introduced around Burnaston’s manufacturing shops. These include a brise soleil, which is a sunshade of solar panels fitted above the windows, and a wall of solar glass to replace existing windows.

The solar panels in the main array cost more than £10 million ($16 million) and are all British-manufactured. They were installed and paid for by British Gas, which is claiming the feed-in tariff — a government program designed to improve the up-take up of solar power generation systems, under which owners are paid for the renewable electricity they produce. Toyota Manufacturing UK (TMUK), which operates the Burnaston facility, will benefit from the free renewable electricity generated.

Tony Walker, TMUK Deputy Managing Director, said: “The launch of the new solar array marks a further significant step in our journey towards low carbon and sustainable manufacturing. This development is a key part of our 'sustainable plant' vision in which our production facilities are designed to work in harmony with our local community and surrounding environment. Our aim is to be a true eco plant producing eco cars built by eco-minded people.”