Two Suffolk councils invest £2.8m in solar panels at leisure centre car parks
The investment aims to slash energy costs at leisure centres in Sudbury and Stowmarket
Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have finished their £2.8 million carbon-cutting solar investment in a bid to slash leisure centers' reliance on the grid by close to half.
They are one of a few other rural local authorities who have trialed the innovative technology in the hopes to cut emissions.
The new investment includes 70 solar carports which are located at the Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre in Stowmarket, which provides up to almost 24% of the centers annual electricity demand.
In addition to this, there are also 40 solar panels at the Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury.
Cllr Jessica Fleming, Mid Suffolk District Council’s cabinet member for environment has explained the impact of the project.
“Completing our solar carports marks a significant milestone in a multi-million-pound investment to reduce the carbon footprint at our leisure centres.
“We hope that by being among the first rural UK councils to trial this technology in our districts, we will encourage others to follow suit. And, if it’s successful, we’ll look at how we might be able to roll out this technology at more of our sites, making best use of space, over coming years.
“By also introducing 8 new EV charging points, the carports will also help more residents to transition to electric vehicles – helping to reduce pollution and ensuring Mid Suffolk’s greener future as a place people are proud to call home.”
Cllr Jane Gould, Babergh District Council’s cabinet member for climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable transport has also commented on it's benefits...
“It’s exciting we’ve now finished our 40 solar covered car parking spaces in Sudbury, which sees us introduce an additional 8 EV charging points.
“Installing this infrastructure not only demonstrates our forward-looking approach for the town, but also our commitment to tackling climate change and our emissions.
“Our district, and the wider county, are a natural fit for solar, enjoying more sun hours than the rest of the UK. So, by leading the way in driving clean growth and technology, we hope others will be inspired and learn from our example.
“I firmly believe this, among our other work and commitments, will help ensure Babergh continues to be a place in which people are proud to live and work for years to come.”
C-J Green, Chair of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
“Reducing our reliance on the grid and switching to clean energy is essential if our region is to fulfil its future clean growth ambitions. It is fantastic to see two of our local authorities leading the way through this innovative technology which will reduce emissions from these two centres and on the roads.”