Solar panels at the council offices

The Council have installed 195 solar panels at the District Council offices to add to an existing 48 panels, making a significant contribution to the council’s aim of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The installation will reduce the council’s electricity bill by 21% and save over 14 tons of CO2 per year.

Amidst increasing calls for everyone to reduce their environmental impact in order to halt climate change, the council hopes this will also serve as an example of the possible benefits from going green.

The solar panels installed on the Kesteven Street building came at a cost of £152,000, drawn from the council’s ‘Invest to Save’ reserve – a fund specifically ear-marked for projects that reduce the council’s long-term overheads.

With the rising cost of energy impacting all organisations as well as individuals and families, the council stands to save nearly £22,500 per year, with the panels predicted to pay for themselves in less than seven years.

The stats below provide a monthly overview of the amount of solar energy produced through the panels and how this contributes to the Councils energy usage. The pie chart illustrates the comparison of the energy consumed from solar with the energy purchased from the grid. The stats also provide a summary of lifetime solar energy produced and some of the environmental benefits to date.