Blair switches on Co-operative Insurance solar project

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Blair switches on Co-operative Insurance solar project

Thu 3rd Nov 2005

The prime minister has switched on the Co-operative Insurance Society Solar Tower project

Panels on the South side of the building in the centre of Manchester went live for the first time on November 3rd when Tony Blair pressed the switch feeding electricity into the national grid.

The Co-operative Insurance Society’s landmark green energy project is believed to be the largest of its kind in the UK and will eventually use 7,000 photovoltaic panels to generate 180,000 units of renewable electricity each year.

The panels, which will cover the 400ft tower, will create enough electricity to make nine million cups of tea, using the energy of the sun.

The £5.5 million project, managed by Solar Century, started last year and has received grants from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the Department of Trade & Industry.

David Anderson, Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) chief executive, said: "The building, which is grade II listed, is now more than 40 years old and the small mosaic tiles that clad the service tower of the building needed replacing and solar panels are the ideal solution."