BSH Corby
Making a million square foot warehouse roof pay its way
Key stats
- Sector: Warehousing and distribution
- Installation size: 1200 solar panels
- Annual generation: 550MWh
- Expected self-consumption: 70-80%
- Annual savings: £85,000
- Annual CO2 reduction: 106 tonnes
The challenge: A landlord, a tenant, and no room for disruption
On paper, a roof the size of BSH Corby’s is an obvious place to put solar. In practice, it’s been harder to pull off.
This is a live distribution hub – close to a million square feet, moving products for brands including Bosch and Siemens, and one of the largest warehouses built in the UK in the past five years. None of that could pause for an installation.
The building is also leased. Owned by Tritax, occupied by BSH, and overseen by property consultancy Hollis, the project had to satisfy two very different priorities at once: an occupier focused on cutting energy costs and carbon, and a landlord focused on the long-term value of the asset.
Layer on the fire, insurer and health-and-safety requirements that come with a building this size – unlocking the roof’s potential came with conditions attached.
The solution: solar designed for the building and its stakeholders
Good Energy worked with Hollis, Tritax and BSH to deliver a 1,200-panel commercial solar system designed bespoke for the operation beneath it, scheduling the work to keep the distribution hub running throughout.
Every panel is attached to a SolarEdge optimiser, meaning it can perform independently and send data back remotely. On a roof this size that matters: a single underperforming or faulty panel that might otherwise go unnoticed can be spotted and fixed.
Safety was specified from the outset. The system connects to a firefighter gateway that shuts down automatically if the site alarm is triggered, with manual emergency shutdown alongside it. It drops roof-level DC voltage to a safe-to-touch level when needed, protecting maintenance and emergency teams working at height. Safe roof access was built in for the life of the system, not just the install.
The impact: Savings of around £85,000 each year and future proofed assets
The solar array came with many benefits for the occupier and the landlord.
Lower, more predictable costs: The system generates around 550MWh a year, with BSH using 70–80% of it on site, directly replacing a significant volume of grid electricity, and cutting around £85,000 from the annual bill.
“Energy is one of our biggest operational costs. And one of the most volatile. The solar PV system on this building allows BSH to access onsite renewable energy at a lower, more predictable cost. And importantly, it helps us reduce our carbon footprint, supporting our sustainability commitments and those of our customers.” — Nick Line, BSH Corby
106 tonnes of carbon avoided every year: On-site generation supports BSH’s own sustainability commitments – and its customers’ too.
A stronger position for the landlord: For landlord, Tritax, the installation improves the building’s sustainability credentials and helps future-proof a major logistics asset — value that outlasts any single tenancy.
“Installing the solar has allowed for the sustainability of the building to be improved, and allows for the future position of the building to be sustained.” — James Charlesworth, Tritax
A platform for wider electrification: Generating power on site gives BSH a platform to add battery storage, wider electrification and EV fleet charging as the site develops.