The energy and infrastructure team in the Bristol office of national law firm Foot Anstey has advised a pioneering solar tech firm on one of the largest light-weight array installations in the South East of England.
The team worked with Solivus, a London-based start-up, on the project at Farnborough Airport, which will generate 25% of its total electricity and allow its fleet of electric vehicles to be charged using self-generated energy.
The solar panels will cover the airport’s iconic curved hangar roofs as well as its state-of-the-art terminal building, control tower, ground support facility building and award-winning hotel, the Aviator Hampshire.
The airport, which describes itself as the home of British aviation and Europe’s leading airport for premium air travel connectivity, said the installation reflected its sustainability goals and its target of reaching net zero by 2030 or sooner.
Solivus specialises in lightweight solar panels and related decarbonisation services, meaning that its systems can be used on the 40% or so of large buildings, such as aircraft hangers, that are unable to take conventional solar panels.
Installation work at Farnborough Airport is expected to start by the end of this year.
The Foot Anstey team that worked with Solivus on drafting, negotiating and concluding the agreement with Farnborough Airport was made up of legal director Mark Greatholder, senior associate Aliki Zeri and solicitor Liam Henderson.
Solivus chief executive officer Jo Parker-Swift said: “At Solivus, we are on a mission to decarbonise the built environment, so we are proud to be working alongside a business which has like-minded goals.”
Mark Greatholder, pictured, added: “We are proud to work with the team at Solivus, who are on a mission to decarbonise the built environment through the use of innovative light-weight solar solutions.
“Like Solivus, as a firm we are passionate about contributing to the green economy and decarbonisation of the built environment and we’re delighted to have been able to support such an innovative company with this project.”
Foot Anstey, which also has offices in Exeter, London, Plymouth, Southampton, Taunton and Truro, has a strong track record in the renewables sector.
Earlier this year it was appointed by The Wave, the pioneering inland surfing lake on Bristol’s doorstep, to advise on a range of legal matters including its sustainable energy requirements.
Energy and infrastructure is one of Foot Anstey’s key sectors along with development, Islamic finance and retail and consumer.
