Primus POD Powers Sustainability While Cutting Energy Costs with Solar

Business: Primus POD
Sector: High-Spec Manufacturing
Location: Co. Kilkenny
System Size: 129.6kW (288 Solar Panels)
Operational Disruption: None
Projected Payback: 2 Years 5 Months
Installation Time: 8 Days — Zero Disruption to Business Operations
Annual Savings: €30,000-€40,000

Powering High-Spec Manufacturing with Low-Cost Solar Energy

A high spec manufacturing facility in County Kilkenny has strengthened its competitive edge while advancing sustainability by installing a custom designed Solar PV system from SOLARspan.

The company specialises in the design and fabrication of high performance cleanroom environments for the pharmaceutical, med tech, and food industries. These sectors demand uncompromising standards of stability, reliability, and environmental control — making energy both mission critical and costly and making solar the solution for

The Challenge

The Primus POD facility was faced with rising energy prices which threatened profitability combined with a growing focus on sustainability and requirements from customer clients for evidence of low carbon production to maintain contracts. The company saw the need to reduce its carbon footprint without affecting the quality or continuity of its operations.

The Solution

SOLARspan installed a 130 KW solar array across the rooftop. The 288-panel commercial Solar PV system was tailored to the company’s daily energy usage profile and utilised the best available roof space while leaving room for future expansion. The installation was completed in just 8 days with parts of the installation scheduled outside of core hours to ensure no interruption to business activity. SOLARspan managed the complete project including the installation of Safety line and skylight protection as well as liaising with ESB Networks to ensure a seamless go live.

By generating clean, on site electricity during peak hours, the solar system offsets a significant portion of the facility’s demand. This is especially valuable during high energy manufacturing processes and lengthy production runs.

The Results

Projected Annual Savings: €30,000-€40,000
Estimated Payback Period: Less than 3 years
Post-Payback Energy Cost: Significantly reduced for the next 20+ years
CO₂ Reduction: Approx 40 Tonnes per year
No Downtime: Factory operations continued without compromise

The company also qualified for the SEAI Non-Domestic Microgen Grant of €28,400, which covered a portion of the installation cost, and is claiming Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) for immediate tax benefits — boosting the return on investment from day one.

Looking Ahead

With monitoring tools now live, management can track real time generation and savings, validating ROI with clear, measurable data. Operations can shift load to take advantage of low-cost electricity and look at further enhancements to the system in the future.

This solar installation marks a pivotal move toward clean energy, supporting the company’s long term vision of lowering emissions and meeting sustainability expectations across its supply chain

“Our goal was to cut energy costs while proving our commitment to sustainability. With SOLARspan’s custom Solar PV system, we’ve achieved both — lowering bills and reducing our carbon footprint without disrupting operations.””

— Operations Director, Primus POD