Lancashire company given 'wonderful but demanding' solar project at historic Stonyhurst College
“I love the idea that the same school that helped astronomers map the surface of the sun will now be using sunlight to power some of its day-to-day life.”
Installation has begun on a rooftop solar project at Stonyhurst College, led by Ribchester-based Green Shield Group.
The 439.2 kWp system is expected to generate 397,157 kWh of electricity a year and save an estimated 55.6 tonnes of CO₂e, helping the historic Ribble Valley school lower its energy bills and reduce the amount of electricity it buys from the grid.
Solar panels are now due to be fitted to the Grade II* listed South Front and part of the Grade I listed Old Quadrangle, as well as to the roofs of the Refectory, swimming pool and St Mary’s Sports Hall.
As lead consultant on the Stonyhurst solar installation, Green Shield Group coordinated surveys and liaised with Ribble Valley Borough Council, which granted planning permission and listed building consent on April 17. Historic England raised no objection on heritage grounds after additional information was submitted on roof loading and the layout of electrical equipment.
AMPYR Distributed Energy is providing funding for the rooftop solar project. A single power purchase agreement covers the solar installation across all the buildings involved.
Alex Palffy, lead engineer at Green Shield Group, said: “It was a wonderful brief to be given, and a demanding one. The first time you see the South Front at the end of the dramatic driveway, you understand why people care so much about how the college looks.
“With a sharp focus on enabling the school to generate its own electricity while keeping the character of the buildings that generations of pupils have known, we had to show that the historic roofs could carry the extra weight, set the panels back behind parapets where possible, and plan where the cables and electrical equipment would go.
“The SolarEdge system selected includes equipment designed to shut down solar generation in an emergency. We also had to consider wildlife and where reflections from the panels might be visible.
“There’s a lovely connection with the college’s observatory. In the late 19th century, people here made grids to plot the positions of sunspots, and astronomers went on to use them around the world. I love the idea that the same school that helped astronomers map the surface of the sun will now be using sunlight to power some of its day-to-day life.”
While the wider project also includes four electric vehicle charge points, the solar installation is expected to be commissioned in early 2027.
Paul Sharples, commercial director at Stonyhurst College, said: “Generating more of our own electricity will help us manage our energy costs and cut our carbon footprint. We needed a design that worked with roofs of very different ages and protected the buildings and collections in our care.
“Green Shield helped us work through the practical questions about roof loading, visibility and fire safety, and coordinated the surveys needed for planning. That work has helped us move ahead with a scheme that makes sense for the college and its buildings.”