Why decarbonisation matters to this client
In 2024, our client’s Sustainability Report made it clear that rising operational costs and market pressures were pushing them to act. The company saw revenue drop by around 4.7% in 2024, driven by price deflation, weak demand, and high inflation.
Their profits were squeezed, and there is increased cost pressure from supply chains, raw materials, and energy.
Rising inflation, interest rates, and energy prices make energy-intensive operations more expensive. Decarbonisation in this case can be risk mitigation and cost control, as well as sustainability.
Also, as a major player in building materials and tools (including renewables), our client has credibility to maintain as their customers expect them to lead by example. Their sustainability strategy emphasises lower carbon products, supply chain resilience, and reducing estate emissions.
Given that backdrop, Carbon3’s partnership aligned with their goals to reduce energy and carbon costs, demonstrate leadership in sustainability, and validate their product offerings through use in their own sites.
We decarbonised seven sites so far with solar PV, including four with battery storage.
Overall, the combined solar capacity is significant and in many cases paired with battery storage to boost flexibility, resilience, and peak load management.
Why This Project Is Important
This provides cost savings and operational efficiency. As energy prices rise, combining solar with storage helps smooth demand, reduce peak grid usage, and provide further savings. Every kW generated on-site means less spent buying from the grid at high rates.
They also benefit from energy and carbon reductions. These projects reduce grid electricity usage and associated CO₂ emissions, helping our client reduce its estate emissions to keep them consistent with their sustainability targets.
By installing renewable technologies themselves and not simply selling them, our clients can show real-world performance of their product lines. It strengthens customer trust.
In their 2024 report, the client highlighted supply chain risk, rising raw material costs, and transitional risks linked to climate regulation. Solar and storage helps hedge against energy price shocks and supports more stable operational cost forecasting.
Outcomes and Measurable Impact
While the complete return-on-investment (ROI) analysis may stretch over several years, some early outcomes include reduced grid electricity spend at each site, especially during peak demand times thanks to storage. The client will have increased resilience to grid instability and price fluctuations, as well as a demonstrable improvement in carbon emissions from their estate.
This should lead to enhanced employee & stakeholder satisfaction from seeing the company walk the talk on sustainability.
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
Battery storage adds value. The sites with battery storage show better flexibility and are better positioned to save during high tariffs or peak grid charges. Also, site selection matters. Orientation, roof size, shading, and structural integrity all affect the solar output.
Other best practices include feasibility and planning. Early surveys, battery sizing, DNO constraints, and other planning considerations can introduce costs or delays if not addressed from the outset.
Clients also need to consider maintenance and monitoring. To ensure performance, good O&M is essential to keep an eye on cleaning, fault detection, monitoring output vs expected. This means that if there are any issues with the system, they are delt with quickly to keep it running efficiently.
Conclusion
Our client’s move to decarbonise its estate using Carbon3’s solar and storage installations is a smart operational decision as well as a commitment to sustainability. In a year of shrinking margins, price deflation, and inflationary pressure, acting early on renewable energy helps control long-term cost, safeguard operations, and reinforce their position as leaders in the building and construction supply chain.
For companies selling renewable technologies, there is nowhere more credible to prove value than your own sites. If you’re looking for a way to prove your company’s commitment to sustainability, contact us to find out how solar and battery storage can help.
