Hull Firms Invest £600k in Greener Future
Two Hull-based companies have invested more than £600,000 in creating a new environmentally focused headquarters that they say will serve as a model for sustainable business premises in the region. GW Power, a renewable energy installation firm, and C3 Group, a construction and facilities management company, have jointly developed the site on Stockholm Road in Sutton Fields industrial estate, fitting it with a 50.4kW rooftop solar array capable of generating over 47,000 kWh of clean electricity each year.
The investment includes battery storage systems that allow excess energy generated during daylight hours to be stored and used during peak demand periods, significantly reducing the companies' reliance on the national grid. Electric vehicle charging points have been installed in the car park for staff and visitors, and the building's heating and cooling systems use air-source heat pumps rather than traditional gas boilers. The firms estimate that the combined measures will reduce their carbon emissions by approximately 85 per cent compared with their previous premises on Hedon Road.
GW Power managing director Graham Walker said the project demonstrated that going green made sound business sense as well as environmental sense. "We wanted to practise what we preach," he said. "As a company that installs renewable energy systems for clients across East Yorkshire and beyond, it was important that our own headquarters reflected our commitment to sustainability. The energy savings alone mean the investment will pay for itself within eight years." C3 Group director Chris Clarke added that the new building had also improved staff wellbeing and productivity, with natural light, improved air quality and modern working spaces contributing to a noticeable uplift in morale.
The Humber region has positioned itself as a leader in the UK's green energy transition, with major investments in offshore wind manufacturing at the Siemens Gamesa blade factory in Alexandra Dock and the wider Humber Freeport development. Local business leaders have welcomed the GW Power and C3 Group investment as evidence that smaller firms are also embracing the shift. Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dr Ian Kelly said it was "exactly the kind of forward-thinking investment the region needs."