Fitted into the structure’s existing roof lights, the new roof will cover an area of 216sq m in the heart of the Aquarium, consist of 144 BP Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels and generate about 33kW of ‘free’ electricity per hour. This will be fed straight back into the Aquarium’s conventional power consumption.

The panels can produce electricity from daylight, even in cloudy conditions, and the £200,000 project was funded by the DTI, South West Regional Development Agency and the Aquarium itself.

To complement the roof’s installation, a new exhibit will be launched, explaining the science behind such schemes. Specially designed ‘gauges’ will show just how much power is being generated at a particular moment.

To link with the exhibition, a weather station will also be built on the roof and data from both it and the solar panels will be accessible at the Aquarium and via its website.

leisure-kit keyword: BP Solar