Promenade shop paves the way for green energy plan which could be used by Eden Project Morecambe

Briggs footwear and clothing on Marine Road has recently installed enough solar panels to fulfil all its electricity needs.

And the Eden Project – who are due to start construction of Eden Project Morecambe this autumn – have taken an interest in the shop’s green energy plans.

There are early proposals to incorporate the Briggs solar array into a larger system that could provide carbon free electricity to a number of neighbouring properties including the Midland Hotel, The Platform and Winter Gardens theatre – as well as Eden itself.

Although Briggs will continue to rely to some extent on mains power during the darker winter months, the system provides a large surplus during the summer which is fed back to the grid eliminating electricity costs from the business.

Briggs have also switched to a green tariff meaning any electricity it does use comes from renewable sources.

The business took its first steps on the road to reducing its carbon footprint in 2016 when it replaced its entire lighting system with LED, reducing annual electricity consumption by some 70%. The premises also gained additional insulation reducing heating costs by 30%.

Briggs Director Tom Powney said: “We were looking at huge potential increases in gas and electricity costs of up to £20,000 a year when our current contracts expire.

"Ultimately these costs would have increased retail prices, something we did not want to do at a time when many are struggling with food and utility costs. We had to get innovative so we decided to make the long-term investment.

"It also helps us move towards our goal of being carbon neutral by 2030. Some may question the costs/benefit ratio of installing solar in the North West but the Briggs system will pay for itself within 3 years.”