Glasgow-based coffee roaster Matthew Algie has installed a 928-panel solar array on eight roofs, increasing the roaster’s solar energy capacity from 10 kW to 422 kW.
Oluwafemi Sadugba, senior solar design engineer at RSK Renewables, the renewable energy contractor that installed the solar PV system, said surveys were carried out before the installation of the panels to ensure the site was suitable for the PV array.
“The design for the new array included multiple engineering processes, from structural assessments, electrical design and grid compliance to fire safety and regulatory compliance,” Sadugba said.
The nature of the site also required unique considerations for the project.
“Because coffee roasting is a very energy-intensive process, the design took into account the specific needs of the factory to function effectively,” Sadugba explains.
“By considering these factors together, the design presented a mounting system design that takes into account British wind loads in accordance with European technical standards, which determined the mounting methods.”
Acies, a sister company of the RSK Group, provided support with structural surveys and reports to ensure the project was feasible on site and had a long lifespan.
The process included consideration of structural capacity, wind load resistance, maintenance and emergency accessibility, and shade limitations.
Lewis Doyle, senior project manager at RSK Renewables, added that a linear heat detection system has been installed to monitor for equipment overheating. The system monitors per zone and shuts down when the maximum heating threshold is reached.
This is especially important for coffee roasters, Doyle explains, because the high energy requirements of the coffee roasting process result in a critical need for optimal roast risk precautions.
The installation took place while the roasting plant was in operation and functioning normally.
“The solar installation at Matthew Algie’s coffee roasting facility is the second major renewable energy project the company has embarked on,” said Doyle.
“In 2012 it installed a 10 kW system, which it has now upgraded so that it has the capacity to power a significant portion of its operations.”
The news follows significant growth in the UK residential solar sector, with 2025 marking the fifth consecutive year of growth in rooftop solar capacity added to the UK market.
