Published on Wednesday, Jan 18 2012 by David Sanderson
New
solar panels have been installed on the roof of Wolverhampton’s Civic Centre.
The council says the
solar panel installation will help the city save money, cut energy bills and do its bit to help the environment. The project has had an investment of £123,000 for the installation of the solar panels and the council has estimated that the money will be recouped within the next eight years.
The council has also highlighted that the solar panels will generate income through a scheme whereby the council will receive payments from its energy provider based on how much power is generated by the panels.
Councillor John Reynolds, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, told the BBC, "We need to look at initiatives that will bring about savings."
Mr Reynolds said the
solar photovoltaic cells were an "excellent investment" for the city and would see taxpayers making a saving. He is quoted as saying, "These solar panels will cut costs and bring in revenue for 25 years which is a welcome boost.”
He added, "We are also aware of our responsibility in reducing carbon emissions and this scheme will help us achieve this for a number of years to come.”
At the end of last year, councillors in Carlisle also announced plans to install solar panels on the Civic Centre and that they would invest £200,000 in the project. Council leaders said the authority would net a six per cent return on its investment over 25 years. The council expects to recoup its initial investment within 12 years and eventually generate around £166,000 through the scheme.
It was recently reported that Stoke on Trent’s Civic Centre solar panels have already generated 93 per cent of the target for the first year. The 198 panels were installed in April last year following an investment of £134,500 from the council’s climate change budget.
In the eight months from April to December, the panels generated 27,620 kWh of electricity towards the target of 30,000 kWh of energy in a full year. The panels are also attracting the highest feed-in tariff and it is estimated that this will see the council receive £9,400 a year.
Councillor Janine Bridges, cabinet member for city services, is quoted as saying, “It is fantastic news that so much clean, green energy has already been produced. The solar panels are proving to be a sound investment, not just in financial terms, but also in the positive impact they are having on the environment, and as part of our plans to be a sustainable city.”
To find out more about how solar panels work and the savings that can be made through them, go to the
EnergySaving Trust website.
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