UK's 'largest solar heat project' installed on roof of British Library

A vast solar project has been installed across the roof of the British Library, and is expected to reduce the building’s carbon emissions by 55 tonnes a year.

The installation, billed by its creators as ‘the UK’s largest solar heat project’, comprises 950 ‘solar collectors’ across 712.5 m2 of the library’s roof space and will generate 216 MWh of energy annually – equivalent to heating a swimming pool for a year.

In a rare application of solar technology, the collectors will also be used to help to maintain the precise temperature and humidity conditions needed to preserve the national collection cared for by the British Library, which includes the Magna Carta and Shakespeare’s First Folio.

The project, which had a total cost of £1.5million, was delivered by Naked Energy and funded by the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

Patrick Dixon, the British Library’s director of estates and construction, said the organisation was “delighted” to have benefitted from Government funding.

“We have received two grants under the scheme, one of which provided the funds for our supply partners CBRE to work with Naked Energy to design and install this innovative technology on our Grade I Listed building in London,” he said.

The solar array has been laid out on the roof of the British Library (Naked Energy)

“This project is part of the Library’s commitment to environmental action and we are pleased to have formally launched our new Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy during Green Libraries Week.”

Christophe Williams, Naked Energy’s CEO and founder, said: “It’s an honour to partner with such an iconic British institution and be a part of their journey to meet their net zero goals.

The solar array has been laid out on the roof of the British Library (Naked Energy)

“The urgent need to decarbonise heat has long been under-recognised in the discussions over the UK’s move toward net zero. We hope that this project can serve as a catalyst to inspire others in the public sector to join the energy transition and move away from fossil fuels once and for all.

“This project has been an immense undertaking and is an exciting step forward for the solar thermal industry in the UK.”