Supply chain due diligence
The solar PV industry has documented supply chain concerns — particularly around polysilicon production in Xinjiang, China, and historic instances of forced labour in certain manufacturing regions. We take supply chain seriously:
- We specify Tier 1 panel manufacturers only — Bloomberg-tracked Tier 1 status indicates financial stability, manufacturing scale, and (broadly) supply chain transparency
- We require Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) compliance or equivalent third-party traceability for all panels we specify
- For PCCs particularly concerned about origin, we offer European-manufactured options (Q CELLS Germany, REC Norway/Singapore, Meyer Burger Switzerland) at modest cost premium
- For battery storage, we specify cells with documented cobalt-free chemistry (lithium iron phosphate / LFP) where possible to avoid the Congolese cobalt supply chain
- For inverters, we specify European-manufactured (Fronius Austria, SMA Germany) where the application supports it
We will discuss supply chain preferences with any PCC that raises them. We are transparent about origin and willing to adjust specifications for parishes with strong ethical commitments.
ISO 14001 environmental management
We hold ISO 14001:2015 certification — the international standard for environmental management systems. Annual external surveillance audits confirm:
- Environmental impact assessment for every project
- Waste segregation and recycling rates monitored monthly
- Supply chain environmental due diligence
- Energy use reduction in our own offices and warehousing
- Fleet emissions tracked and reduced
- Continuous improvement targets reviewed quarterly
Panel end-of-life programme
Solar panels have a 25+ year warranty life but eventually need recycling. UK panels are covered by the WEEE Regulations 2013, which require manufacturers to participate in compliant take-back schemes. We:
- Document panel serial numbers and manufacturer take-back schemes for every install
- Provide PCCs with end-of-life information at commissioning (relevant in 25+ years)
- Use European-compliant recyclers (PV Cycle is the principal industry scheme) for any panels we remove during repair or upgrade work
- Recycle inverters, mounting systems, and cabling through certified recyclers
- Maintain manufacturer warranty documentation for panel replacement scenarios
Fleet and travel
Our delivery fleet:
- 3 × electric vans (Ford E-Transit) for engineer visits and small parts delivery
- 2 × diesel vans (Ford Transit) for larger installation site visits and pallet deliveries; transitioning to electric as range and payload capability allow
- All engineer travel between sites is routed for efficiency; multiple parish visits often combined into a single day
- For projects more than 100 miles from our base we use overnight stays rather than daily round trips, reducing fleet emissions per project
Office Scope 1 + 2 carbon neutrality
Our offices in London Covent Garden are powered by 100% renewable electricity tariff (Octopus Energy) and use heat pump heating. Scope 1 (gas) emissions: zero. Scope 2 (electricity) emissions: zero on the supplier's certified renewable tariff. We carbon offset Scope 3 (business travel, supply chain) through certified woodland-creation projects in Scotland.
Carbon reporting we offer parishes
We provide parishes with the carbon impact data of their installation. This includes:
- Annual carbon avoided (tonnes CO₂e per year, based on grid carbon intensity)
- Cumulative lifetime carbon avoidance over the 25-year warranty
- Embodied carbon of the manufacturing and installation (~600-1,000 kg CO₂e per kW)
- Carbon payback time (typically 1.5-3 years — the system avoids more than its embodied carbon in this time)
Most parish solar installations achieve a lifetime carbon return of 15-25× their embodied emissions. The carbon case is genuinely strong, but we present both sides transparently.
What we don't do
- We don't claim "carbon neutral installation" headlines without detailed Scope reporting
- We don't hide supply chain origin — we'll tell you which factory manufactured your panels
- We don't push panel brands based on commission — manufacturer selection is on merit only
- We don't oversell carbon benefits — embodied carbon is real and the payback is what it is