Toyota will be able to build 7,000 cars a year using solar energy at its factory in the UK.

The carmaker and British Gas have installed a new solar power system at the 90,000 sq m Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK plant, the largest by any vehicle manufacturer in the country.

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Some 17,000 solar panels have the capacity to save 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year, and realise an energy saving equivalent to 4.6m kWh – roughly the power needed to build 7,000 cars a year.

TMUK is one of Toyota’s five standard-bearing worldwide ‘eco-factories’ and is the production centre for the Auris hybrid.

Other energy-saving measures at the plant include a ‘brise soleil’, a sunshade of solar panels fitted above the windows, and a wall of solar glass to replace existing windows.

The new solar panel system cost around EUR11.4m (US$15.7m) and was manufactured in Britain. It was installed and paid for by British Gas, which is claiming the feed-in tariff – a UK government scheme designed to improve the uptake of solar power generation systems – under which owners are paid for the renewable electricity they produce.

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TMUK, which operates the Burnaston facility, will benefit from the free renewable electricity generated.

Tony Walker, TMUK deputy managing director, said the launch is a further step in the company’s move towards low carbon and sustainable manufacturing. He added: “This development is a key part of our ‘sustainable plant’ vision in which our production facilities are designed to work in harmony with our local community and surrounding environment.”