Britain’s Energy Coast has appointed a new energy contractor, Forrest, as a “chosen partner” at its Westlakes Science and Technology Park, near Whitehaven.

This appointment is designed to bring low carbon power generation and export capabilities to Westlakes in a bid to cut its carbon footprint.

Forrest, based in Bolton, competed against 17 other organisations during the open tender process. It was chosen based on technical expertise in addition to its approach to partnering with other organisations and “social value”.

BEC was particularly impressed by the innovative thinking deployed by Forrest to create a floating solar PV array at Godley Reservoir, in Greater Manchester, which is capable of generating 2.7 GWh of renewable zero carbon power per year.

At Westlakes, which BEC owns, Forrest will be developing a plan based on smart-microgrids and energy technologies for the two-square-mile site.

It will also explore the energy efficiency of the existing property portfolio, asset and maintenance plans and future developments will be taken into consideration for a fully integrated solution.

It is thought their plan could use distributed energy, building management systems, solar PV, electric vehicles, district heating, and energy efficiency measures.

BEC chief executive Michael Pemberton said: “Following our change in strategic direction last year we have been committed to leading the way in sustainable building and low carbon property issues.

“We went out to an open market for this project to ensure we brought the best thinking to our doorstep.

“Forrest’s track record in bringing pioneering projects to fruition, together with our shared values as organisations, made them a great fit.

“With the property industry responsible for a third of all carbon emissions, the intersection between property and energy has never been under more scrutiny.

“We want to lead positive industry change with this scheme.”

Joe Martin, head of funding and energy at BEC, added: “This is a really exciting first step for us – our ambition for Westlakes Science and Technology Park is to become self-sufficient with renewable energy. This will benefit our customers on the park and provide resiliency against rising energy prices while reducing our carbon footprint.”

BEC, which has its headquarters in Cleator Moor, wants the site to become grid independent for power and heat. Energy storage and demand management will be part of the mix.

Darroch Baker, divisional director at Forrest, said: “Being selected for this pioneering scheme demonstrates our commitment to working with innovative clients to drive their low-carbon objectives.”