Country House Estate

Tucked away in the serene countryside near Grantham, a sprawling country estate comprising 5 houses and a manor house, presented a unique challenge and an opportunity for groundbreaking energy innovation. Operating on commercial electricity tariffs of 34p for imports and 20p for exports, the estate’s annual electricity consumption was a staggering 95,049 kWh. The need for an efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable energy solution was evident.

In 2021 Carbon Legacy undertook the ambitious project of designing an energy system that not only met the estate’s extensive energy demands but also leveraged the potential for sustainability and profit. The introduction of a 200 kWp ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) system, accompanied by 9 Tesla Powerwall batteries, marked the beginning of an energy revolution for the estate.

The system’s performance exceeded all expectations, generating an impressive 202,716 kWh of solar energy. This not only covered the estate’s entire electricity requirements but also allowed for 28,408 kWh of solar electricity to be stored and later utilized across the six houses, significantly minimizing their dependence on the grid. The project’s crowning achievement was the exportation of 126,933 kWh of surplus solar electricity back to the grid, turning the estate into a net energy producer.

The financial outcomes of this venture were groundbreaking. Previously burdened with an annual electricity bill of £32,317, the estate’s strategic investment in solar technology and storage solutions reversed their financial outlay to an extraordinary profit of £19,856/year. This remarkable turnaround was achieved through the combined benefits of reduced electricity costs, earnings from exported energy, and a significant decrease in carbon emissions.

This case study epitomizes the potential of large-scale solar installations and energy storage systems to transform energy consumption, financial outcomes, and environmental impact for large estates. By pioneering a self-sufficient and profitable energy model, Carbon Legacy has not only secured a sustainable future for the estate near Grantham but also set a benchmark for similar properties nationwide, illustrating that with the right approach, sustainability can indeed go hand in hand with profitability.