Lombard Shipping is aiming to reduce electricity costs at its Ipswich logistics hub by half through a fully integrated clean‑energy setup combining rooftop solar, battery storage and EV charging.
The company has installed a SolarEdge ecosystem designed to maximise on‑site generation and consumption.
The Ipswich site, close to the Port of Felixstowe, is the firm’s largest location and home to its headquarters. Recent investment in two electric HGVs has increased energy demand, prompting the business to accelerate its decarbonisation plans. As Peter Fraser, Director at Lombard Shipping, explains: “Rising energy demand across our operations made it essential for us to take a more strategic approach to managing our power use. With our EV chargers alone consuming around 7MWh of electricity each month, we needed a solution that could maximise clean energy generation on site and ensure it is used as efficiently as possible, and this system delivers exactly that.”
Insight Energy installed a complete SolarEdge system featuring DC‑optimised inverters, a 102.4kWh commercial battery and six EV chargers, all coordinated through the SolarEdge ONE for C&I platform. The setup is expected to enable Lombard Shipping to use roughly 83% of the solar energy produced on site.
A total of 226 solar panels paired with SolarEdge Power Optimizers help maximise generation by mitigating shading and mismatch losses. Two 50kW Synergy inverters support significant system oversizing to capture more energy during peak production.
The modular battery stores surplus solar for use during high‑demand or high‑price periods, with intelligent optimisation and built‑in safety features. EV charging is managed dynamically, using schedules, solar forecasts and electricity prices to determine the most cost‑effective charging source.
Kristian Day, Managing Director at Insight Energy, notes: “By leveraging SolarEdge’s unified technology platform, we have delivered a smart, scalable clean energy solution that enables Lombard Shipping to use almost all of the energy generated on site, which is a key factor in achieving a rapid return on investment.”
Image:Lombard Shipping facility in Ipswich. Credit: Farlie Photography.
