Peel Ports Group and energy company E.ON report that a new rooftop solar installation at the Port of Liverpool has completed its first four weeks of electricity generation, supplying power directly to port operations. The initial phase covers the Alexandra Dock warehouse, where 6,926 panels are now grid connected. The installation forms part of a long-term decarbonisation programme focused on reducing operational emissions while securing a greater share of on-site renewable energy.
The project is structured under a 25-year agreement and is intended to support the port operator’s target of sourcing half of its electricity from renewables by 2030. That target is challenged by a programme of expansion at the port. However, once fully built out across multiple buildings, the system is expected to deliver 25 MW and meet about a quarter of annual demand. The first phase alone is projected to reduce emissions by approximately 4,700 tonnes of CO₂e each year.
Government interest ahead of energisation
The scheme attracted parliamentary attention before commissioning, when Bill Esterson, chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, visited the site to review progress. The visit included a tour of the Alexandra Dock warehouse and briefings from project partners on construction methods, supply chains and workforce training. The committee’s remit covers scrutiny of national energy transition policy and industrial decarbonisation.
“It was fantastic to see the progress of the work at the Port of Liverpool and to meet Peel Ports and E.ON apprentices at work from my very own Sefton Central constituency,” said Esterson. “As Chair of the Committee for Energy Security and Net Zero, I am excited to work with industry leading figures like E.ON and Peel Ports further in the future, to ensure that together, we deliver this Government’s ambitious clean energy plans.”
Rooftop approach within existing footprint
All equipment was delivered to site by sea and installed within the existing port estate, avoiding additional land use and limiting local transport impacts. The Alexandra Dock warehouse provides almost 260,000 square feet (approximately 24,155 square metres) of roof space, enabling large-scale generation without altering operational layouts. Further phases will extend installations to additional buildings as structural and electrical works are completed.
“The Port of Liverpool is a critical national infrastructure site,” said Vijay Tank, chief operating officer of E.ON Energy Solutions. “Decarbonising places like this is essential for the UK’s environmental and economic targets. The first grid connection of this major solar project is a big leap towards creating a clean energy system fit for the future.”
Wider renewable programme and local supply chain
The solar scheme forms part of a broader on-site energy strategy that also includes plans to repower existing wind turbines on the Mersey with fewer, higher-capacity units. Project partners say the combined output could enable the port to operate entirely on self-generated renewable electricity over time, subject to storage and seasonal balancing measures.
Local contractors have been engaged for installation and will remain involved in maintenance throughout the agreement. “Generating the first power from this landmark solar project is a major milestone for the Port of Liverpool and for Peel Ports Group as a whole,” said Lewis McIntyre, managing director, port services at Peel Ports Group. “By transforming our warehouse rooftops into clean energy assets, we’re taking practical, large-scale action to decarbonise a critical national gateway which enables regional trade and economic growth.”