Solar car park at Salisbury's Five Rivers generates 20 megawatts a month
The canopies provide 10% of the power used at the leisure centre
The solar car park at Salisbury's Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre is generating more than 20 megawatts of power every month.
All the energy is then used within the facility, and works out as around 10% of the power they need to run the building.
Wiltshire Council installed the canopies over 70 of the parking spaces there, as part of their efforts to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Five Rivers is also the first leisure centre in the country to have a solar electric vehicle charging hub - built around an upcycled shipping container.
Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Leisure, said:
“We are proud that one of our flagship leisure centres in Wiltshire’s only city is home to this innovative technology which is having such a positive impact.
“We are a high-profile organisation, and if the actions we are taking can inspire others in the county and beyond to do the same then that can only be a good thing.”
Cllr Tamara Reay, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Assets, said:
“We are a forward-thinking innovative council, and we’re delighted to have worked with 3ti to collaborate on this exciting project, which supports our carbon commitments while saving money on our electricity bills.
“We have been working incredibly hard to make our buildings, and how we work, as energy efficient as possible and in 2023/24 council emissions are down to 2,767 tCO2e, surpassing our target. We’ll continue to do what we can to lead the way on this work locally and, as we’ve demonstrated through this project, bold action really can make a difference.”