How big is the solar system installed at Lovibond — The Tintometer?
Alliant Energy installed a 98.01kWp solar PV system using 223 panels paired with a Solis inverter. The installation took 2 weeks from arrival on site to commissioning.
All case studies
Manufacturing
Lovibond — The Tintometer
98.01kWp system saving £15,771 a year for Lovibond — The Tintometer.
Project overview
The system in place will reduce their carbon footprint by over 9 tons of CO2 and reduce their grid dependency by over 30% annually. The size of the Solar PV installation provides a future-proofing solution, and a business safe-guard for Lovibond. One that for many manufacturing and energy intensive businesses will provide significant long term savings. Unfortunately, due to this sites proximity to a military base, we were unable to get any photos of the completed installation.
The challenge
Like most manufacturing operations, Lovibond — The Tintometer faced a structural exposure to wholesale electricity prices — a cost line that doubled for many UK businesses between 2021 and 2023 and shows no sign of returning to pre-crisis levels. With significant daytime load and suitable roof space, on-site generation was the obvious lever, but the project needed to stand on its own commercial merits: predictable payback, manufacturer-backed warranties, and zero operational disruption during install.
The solution Alliant Energy designed
Following a structural roof survey and DNO capacity check, Alliant Energy specified a 98.01kWp array using 223 high-efficiency mono-PERC panels, paired with a Solis hybrid inverter. The Solis platform was chosen for its export-management capability and remote firmware updates, allowing the array to be tuned over its life without site visits. Surplus generation is exported to the grid under a Smart Export Guarantee tariff, providing a secondary revenue stream alongside the primary saving on imported electricity.
Install & commissioning
The full installation completed in 2 weeks, scheduled around the customer's operating hours to avoid downtime. Work was carried out by Alliant Energy's directly employed MCS-registered engineers — no subcontracted labour. The system was commissioned to G99 requirements, registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, and handed over with monitoring access, electrical certification, and structural sign-off documents on the day of completion.
Financial outcome
In its first full year of operation the system is on track to save Lovibond — The Tintometer approximately £15,771 on electricity costs, with a payback term of 5.7 Years and a projected total ROI of 439%. Over the 25-year warranted life of the panels, the cumulative saving is forecast at £449,015 — a figure that improves materially if grid prices continue their long-term upward trend, and that benefits from the UK's 100% full-expensing capital allowance for qualifying solar assets.
Environmental impact
The installation displaces roughly 9.9 Tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year compared with grid-sourced electricity. Over the system's 25-year design life that is the equivalent of removing more than Lovibond — The Tintometer's entire annual Scope 2 footprint several times over — a material data point for ESG, B-Corp and net-zero reporting frameworks.
Why it matters for the manufacturing sector
Manufacturing businesses typically run daytime electrical loads — refrigeration, machinery, IT, lighting, compressors — that overlap closely with solar generation. That overlap is what drives strong economics: every unit generated and consumed on-site replaces a unit that would otherwise be bought from the grid at full commercial rates. The Lovibond — The Tintometer project demonstrates how the model scales for this kind of operation.
System
98.01kWp
Panels
223
Inverter
Solis
Install
2 Weeks
Project FAQ
How much does Lovibond — The Tintometer save each year?
Lovibond — The Tintometer saves approximately £15,771 per year on electricity, with projected lifetime savings of £449,015 over the system's 25-year guaranteed performance period. The payback term is 5.7 Years, delivering a total ROI of 439%.
Was the project funded or paid for upfront?
This project was paid for directly by the customer. Under the UK's full-expensing capital allowance, the entire cost can be deducted from corporation tax in year one — improving the effective payback meaningfully for profitable companies.
What's the environmental impact?
The system avoids around 9.9 Tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year compared with grid-sourced electricity. Over a 25-year design life that's a material contribution toward Scope 2 reduction and any ESG or net-zero reporting commitments the business holds.
Could a similar system work for my business?
Probably — the same hardware platform (panels, hybrid inverter, optional battery) scales from roughly 10kW up to 1MW+. The deciding factors are roof area, daytime electricity use, current unit rate, and grid-connection capacity. Alliant Energy carries out a free desktop feasibility study and follow-up site survey before quoting.
More projects
Three ways to get started
Ready to find out what solar saves you?
Get a tailored quote in one working day. No obligation. No hard sell. Speak to a renewable energy engineer — not a salesperson — at a time that suits you.
