Saw Mill Solar PVTimber Processing
Rooftop solar PV at a working saw mill, delivered with Grange. Timber processing runs heavy machinery through the working day — generation and demand line up almost perfectly.
Project summary
Rooftop solar PV at a working saw mill, delivered with Grange. Timber processing runs heavy machinery through the working day — generation and demand line up almost perfectly.
- Client Grange
- Scale Rooftop array
- Completed 2023
- Location Saw mill, UK
- Service Timber processing solar
- Installer MARA Electrical — NICEIC approved, MCS certified, based in Queensferry, Deeside
Heavy Machinery, Daylight Hours
Saw mills run hard from morning to evening. So do photovoltaic arrays.
- Client / partner
- Grange
- Sector
- Timber processing / saw mill
- Completed
- 2023
- Delivered by
- MARA Electrical — MCS certified, NICEIC approved
Sawing Timber Takes Serious Power
A saw mill runs bandsaws, edgers, conveyors, extraction and dust handling — heavy rotating plant that draws substantial current whenever the mill is running. Extraction in particular runs continuously for safety reasons whenever machinery is live.
Mills typically operate daylight-shaped hours, which means their consumption curve tracks the solar generation curve unusually closely. Very little is exported.
Timber sites also bring a specific consideration: sawdust. Airborne dust affects panel soiling and needs factoring into array positioning relative to extraction outlets and prevailing wind.
Timber Site Installation
Rooftop photovoltaics on an operational saw mill.
Rooftop Array
Photovoltaics installed across the mill roof, positioned with dust and extraction discharge in mind.
Structural Assessment
Roof capacity assessed for a working industrial building with significant internal vibration.
Electrical Connection
Connection into the mill’s distribution with protection, isolation and DNO notification.
Operational Working
Installation sequenced around milling operations and timber movements.
The Saw Mill Installation
What the Mill Got
Generation Matched to Milling
Output tracking the mill’s own daylight-hours consumption curve closely.
Reduced Running Costs
Heavy machinery load partly offset by on-site generation every working day.
Greener Timber Processing
Lower grid consumption supporting environmental credentials in a sector that trades on sustainability.
Certified Installation
MCS certified and NICEIC approved with full documentation on handover.
Rural & Agricultural Industrial Solar
Saw mills, agricultural buildings, feed mills and rural industrial units are common across North Wales, Denbighshire, Powys and the Cheshire plain — and are frequently overlooked for solar despite excellent roof area.
Rural sites often have weaker grid connections, which makes self-consumption even more valuable: you use what you generate rather than trying to push it into a constrained network. From our Deeside base we cover Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham and the wider North Wales countryside.
Whatever your building type, we survey it, design for it and certify it. Talk to us about commercial solar panel installation, or browse the full solar portfolio.
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250 kWp · 2015250kWp In-Roof PV, Pentre Canol
In-roof photovoltaics in the Vale of Clwyd — panels forming the roof surface rather than sitting on it.
Questions About This Project
Who carried out the Saw Mill Solar PV project?
MARA Electrical carried out the Saw Mill Solar PV project for Grange. MARA Electrical are NICEIC approved electrical contractors and MCS certified solar installers, based in Queensferry on Deeside, serving Chester, Flintshire, Wrexham and North Wales.
How large is the Saw Mill Solar PV installation?
The Saw Mill Solar PV installation is Rooftop array. It was completed in 2023 at Saw mill, UK.
When was the Saw Mill Solar PV project completed?
The Saw Mill Solar PV project was completed in 2023.
Does MARA Electrical work outside North Wales?
Yes. MARA Electrical are based in Queensferry, Deeside and serve Chester, Flintshire, Wrexham and North Wales as their core area, but commercial projects have been delivered across the UK including Manchester, Liverpool, Kettering, Southampton, Norfolk and Scotland.
Rural & Agricultural Solar
Mills, farms and rural industrial buildings often have the best roof area and the weakest grid — the ideal case for self-consumption. Free feasibility survey across North Wales.
or email solar@mara.uk.com · see all solar projects