Sun smiles on Henry the vacuum cleaner
Numatic International - which manufactures the iconic Henry vacuum cleaner - has installed a solar energy system that will reduce its carbon emissions by more than 120 tonnes per year as it helps to power the company's computer-controlled injection-moulding machines.
Generating an estimated 235,000 kW hours each year, the system - from Exeter-based renewable energy specialist SunGift Solar - stretches over three roofs at Numatic's manufacturing facility in Chard, Somerset.
Numatic selected the SunGift Solar system following a competitive tendering process involving a number of renewable energy installers on the strength of "the very impressive, identically-sized system they had installed in 2012 at the Met Office premises in Exeter".
The £250,000 photo voltaic installation operates continuously to produce around 5,000 products per day and is expected to generate energy bill savings and feed-in tariff payments of £50,000 a year, paying for itself in less than five years.
