PepsiCo UK is investing £3.6 million to install a large rooftop solar array at its Southern Region Distribution Centre (SRDC) in Leicester, in a move the company says will supply the site’s full annual electricity needs and feed surplus power into the adjacent Walkers crisps factory.

The system is being delivered with energy infrastructure specialist Ineco Energy and spans roughly 30,000 square metres of roof. Sources reporting on the project cite a planned capacity of 3.56 MWp and an estimated annual output of about 2.84 GWh.

The installation will occupy an area comparable to around four football pitches and, when complete, is expected to meet the distribution centre’s daytime demand while shaving reliance on grid-supplied electricity.

Any excess generation will be routed to the neighbouring Walkers manufacturing plant, extending the project’s impact beyond the logistics facility.

PepsiCo frames the investment as part of a wider programme of energy efficiency and electrification across its UK operations.

The company points to prior measures including the adoption of electric ovens in Leicester, upgraded manufacturing lines in Coventry and more efficient fryers at Brigg, which it says have collectively reduced greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 2,400 tonnes a year.

The solar project follows a £14 million upgrade of the SRDC completed in 2021.

Construction is under way and the installation is scheduled for completion in September 2026, with operators expecting the array to supply the distribution centre’s full annual electricity requirement once commissioned.

Project specifics cited by trade outlets include the 3.56 MWp nameplate and the 2.84 GWh yearly generation estimate, figures intended to illustrate the scale of the rooftop system within the UK food-manufacturing and logistics sector.

Speaking about the project, Andy Smethurst, UK warehousing & logistics director at PepsiCo, said: “Leicester is already home to one of the world’s largest crisp factories, and now we’re delivering one of the most complex solar power systems, right here in the East Midlands.

“It’s a major milestone for PepsiCo UK and shows how we’re continuing to find new ways to power our sites and operate more sustainably.”

Ineco Energy described the job as technically demanding and said it expects the installation to be among the largest rooftop solar systems in the UK food-manufacturing sector once operational.

Angus Rose, Director at Ineco Energy, said: “Ineco is incredibly proud to be delivering this flagship solar project for PepsiCo. Once operational, it will be one of the largest rooftop systems of its kind in the UK food manufacturing sector, generating the same amount of electricity that the SRDC uses in a full year.

“This project has required a collaborative and highly technical approach, and we’re delighted to now be moving into the construction phase. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the PepsiCo team.”

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