A Barnsley-based carpet and flooring company has gained grant funding to invest in solar panels which will generate more than 70 percent of the energy it needs. Floormaster Yorkshire has installed 36 panels to the roof of its warehouse to feed electricity into the company’s 600 sq ft showroom next-door.
The company’s investment has been backed by a grant from the Net Zero Barnsley programme delivered by The Business Village in partnership with Barnsley Council.
Floormaster became eligible for a capital grant - which they’ve had to match-fund - to invest in a development to cut carbon emissions, after completing the programme.
The family firm bid for £6,000 to go halves on a £12,000 photo-voltaic system designed to switch the company to renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions by 80 per cent and slashing energy bills by half.
Operations manager Daniel Deacey said: “We own our warehouse and its expansive roof, so when Net Zero Barnsley helped us look at the idea of putting solar panels up there to generate power for our showroom and offices it all made perfect sense.
“Even so, as a small business we probably wouldn’t have been able to afford to pay up-front for the PV system – the grant support was really important in our decision to go-ahead.
“We look forward to much lower monthly energy bills soon. And, as we’ve all got to work towards net zero emissions, it feels good to have taken significant action towards that too.”
Floormaster currently consumes 16,651kWh of electricity a year which amounts to 3,220kg of CO2 emissions and costs nearly £8,000 in bills.
The firms 15.3kWp PV system is expected to generate 13,000kWh of renewable energy a year and reduce the company’s carbon emissions by 2,613kg a year. The panels should save them more than £3,500 a year on energy bills and pay for themselves within three and a half years. It is also calculated that over the panels’ 22-year lifetime, they will produce 303,975 kWh of clean energy and reduce the company’s CO2 emissions 58.78 tonnes.
Net Zero Barnsley business development manager Kevin Steel said: “The numbers really add up for Floormaster Yorkshire. For any business which owns its own premises investing in solar panels can be an excellent way to cut carbon emissions and energy bills in one swoop.
“The team at Floormaster are normally very focused on what’s under our feet, so it was very satisfying to help them look up to their roof and invest in the future sustainability of their family business.”
The business was established in the 1980s by Daniel’s Mum and Dad, Ian and Julie, and supplies and fits quality carpets, laminate, wood and vinyl flooring for customers across Yorkshire. Its showroom at Claycliffe Business Park is the hub of the business.
Through Net Zero Barnsley, Daniel worked with specialist consultants to understand and calculate the company’s carbon footprint and draw up a Decarbonisation Plan to identify practical measures to reduce it – solar panels being a key part of that.
All UK businesses must reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and Barnsley Council has set an earlier target of 2045. Net Zero Barnsley will support dozens of Barnsley businesses to work towards this over the next two years.
The Business Village is delivering the Net Zero Barnsley programme, in partnership with Barnsley Council, as part of the Low Carbon Project, part-funded by the UK Government through the existing UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Sheffield City Council is the accountable body for the South Yorkshire region. The Low Carbon project has received £3,445,606 through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
