The Norfolk Showground is set to generate 102% of its electrical needs each year after collaborating on one of Norfolk’s largest solar panel projects with Norwich-based energy consultants, Indigo Swan. Fearn Ainsworth, RNAA Commercial Development Manager and Oliver Denison, Head of Sustainability at Indigo Swan with one of the solar panels at the Norfolk Events Centre. Photo: Paul Macro. The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association and Norfolk Showground champion working with local businesses. Fearn Ainsworth of RNAA and Oliver Denison of Indigo Swan. Photo: Paul Macro. Indigo Swan, a local energy consultancy based in Norwich that already works with Norfolk Showground, produced a comprehensive package of the solar panels it could supply, what the whole project could look like, and what the return on investment could be. Once contracts were agreed upon, Indigo Swan worked with Power Different who completed the installation of the panels – a system of 624 JA Solar 380kW panels, installed on the south side of the Norfolk Events Centre roof, spanning the whole length of the building. 624 JA Solar 380kW panels have been installed on the south side of the Norfolk Events Centre roof. Photo: Power Different Fearn Ainsworth, Commercial Development Manager at the RNAA and Norfolk Showground couldn’t be happier with the finished product and the working relationship between these two local businesses during the entire project. She said, “The whole process has been fantastic, right through from contract negotiations, to selling the electricity back to the grid, it’s just been great.” Oliver Denison, Head of Sustainability at Indigo Swan, who oversaw the project, was thrilled to be working with Norfolk Showground on one of its largest projects. “It’s been fantastic to work on a project with the Showground, an extremely well-known name in the region, and because of the lovely work that they do. It was a privilege to work with Chris and his team at Power Different, who played a vital role in the installation. With the Showground hosting multiple events we had to also work closely with Mike Parker, Norfolk Showground Site Delivery Manager to coordinate the installation around the calendar of events and limit the disruption to the site, whilst managing the challenges of over-sheeting the roof and erecting scaffolding during the installation. It was a great team effort from everyone involved!” The Solar PV panels have been such a success that the return on investment has already been reduced from five years to three years. Photo: Power Different A sunny outlook for future energy production It is anticipated that the panels will generate 102% of Norfolk Showground’s electrical needs across the whole year, which is an approximate equivalent of 210,000kW hours annually. This will have a significant impact on the consumption at the busy Norfolk Events Centre, with the Showground looking ahead to hopefully expand on this and add panels to the north side roof in addition to what has already been installed. Currently, the main feed of generated electricity goes directly to the whole of the Norfolk Showground site, with any additional energy produced being sold back to the grid. In the future, there are hopes to use battery storage as an alternative so the site can benefit from all the energy produced. After such a short time, the panels are already seeing a much larger increase in the generation of electricity than was originally anticipated. In the three months since the installation, even with this being during the winter months, the sunshine has had such an impact that the forecasted return on investment has already dropped from five years to three years. This is such a positive outcome and shows how successful renewable energy initiatives can really be. What does the future hold for the RNAA’s and Norfolk Showground’s sustainability plans? Currently, the Association is completing a review of Norfolk Showground’s carbon footprint, with the recent solar panel project being the first piece of work towards its sustainability initiative. Not afraid to take on the challenge, it aims to be the exemplar events venue in the East Anglian region by pushing forwards with this sustainability agenda during 2023 and beyond. To support this goal, the Showground is also working with Anglian Demolition and its waste solutions, so that from the Norfolk Events Centre’s waste, everything possible is either recycled or reutilised for energy purposes. For events, the centre has reuseable cups and cutleries and it doesn’t allow generators on-site during the Royal Norfolk Show. It is also working on a sustainability program for any event organisers that are using the Showground with a list of dos and don’ts of things that the centre expects from a sustainability perspective. Any boards or booklets used at the Royal Norfolk Show are all produced on either recycled or recyclable materials. For a list of events taking place at Norfolk Showground’s Events Centre or to find out how to organise your own event there, please visit norfolkshowground.co.uk
