Scottish Prison Service

Client: Scottish Prison Service – HMP Glenochil

Project: Solar PV Installation

Contract Value: £250,000

Location: Glenochil

System Size: 250kWp

Approximate Annual Yield: 214,680kWh

Annual CO₂ Reductions:  190,046kg

In 2014, Emtec Energy were employed to design, supply and install solar PV at HMP Glenochil for the Scottish Prison Service.

The installation included a 250kW array, situated within a walled area in the prison compound. This array is ground mounted on south facing frames and consists of 1000 ZN Shine ZXP6 250W Solar PV Modules. The system is connected to 5 Power-One Trio-27.6-TL inverters and 5 Power-One Trio-20.0-TL inverters, mounted on the side of Schletter Array frames to provide maximum efficiency.

While there were obvious site restrictions of an installation within a live prison, Emtec successfully utilised our procedures with regards to the control of prohibited items and other security related matters without incident.  Emtec also managed the excavation of service routes below the prison walls and the delicate management of a complete power shut down for the prison complex.

Due to the size and difficulty of the installation, a 5-year land management strategy and GPS monitoring solution was Included within the delivery of the project. This enabled the 250kW array to be monitored remotely within 10 minutes of generation.

Within the contract, the initial consultation with SPS and the DNO (Scottish Power) had intimated that a sub-station upgrade of £100,000 would be required to enable the connection of the system to the grid.  Through our direct involvement, production of a G59 relay and the control strategy of this between the onsite generator and an export limitation device, the DNO could witness the system shutting down in the unlikely event that excess energy would be exported into the grid.  Subsequently, the connection costs from the DNO reduced to £3,000, producing a saving of circa £97,000 direct to the Client.

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