About Client
Appleby Creamery is a dairy business based in Appleby, Cumbria. The site has substantial electricity consumption and was looking for a practical way to reduce energy costs while addressing roofing issues. Solar was selected to lower operating costs and provide long-term energy savings.

Challenges
The existing metal roof was old, leaking and in need of replacement. The structure was unable to support the weight of a traditional over-clad roof combined with standard solar panels. The customer wanted to avoid the cost and disruption of a full re-roof. Roof vents and the existing roof construction also required careful design consideration.

Love Solar Solution
Love Solar installed the first Solfit over-clad system on this type of project. The solution incorporated 612 Solfit 375Wp Double Glass panels (Solfit / Jetion Solar) delivering 229kWp of installed capacity. The system was installed in an East-West orientation on a 10-degree roof pitch using top hats as the mounting system. Solfit provided both a watertight roof covering and solar generation solution in a single installation.

Installation Process
The installation was completed within three weeks. By installing directly over the existing roof, the project avoided major disruption to the creamery’s operations while providing a new weatherproof covering. Love Solar coordinated all roofing and solar works, ensuring safe installation and minimal impact on the site.

Results & Performance
Annual energy generation is estimated at 171,750 kWh. The system is expected to reduce electricity costs significantly, with indicative annual savings of approximately £34,350 depending on electricity tariffs. In addition to lowering energy costs, the installation provides a new watertight roof system and reduces carbon emissions by approximately 32.6 tonnes of CO₂ per year.