Solar power trial to give a lift to refuse collections in Darlington
Refuse collection bosses at Darlington Borough Council are hoping that the sun doesn’t refuse to shine as they monitor a trial use of solar power on several fleet vehicles.
Solar panels have been installed on the roof of five refuse vehicles as part of a trial to help reduce fuel use and carbon emissions. The solar panels can power things such as the tail lifts, radios and heating for example, reducing the amount of fuel used for those purposes, saving money and emissions.
Since the trial began last July (2024), the panels have resulted in a saving of over 1,000 litres of fuel and 2,800 kg of carbon emissions.
The work forms part of the council’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2040. This pledge covers all service areas, and all teams are working hard to look at ways to reduce and/or offset carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency.
Councillor Chris McEwan, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for economy said:
“This is a brilliant example of how our various teams are looking at different ways to reduce our carbon emissions. Our fleet emissions are responsible for over 1,000 tonnes of carbon each year. This is a sizeable amount and one that we are always looking at reducing.
“Our ongoing Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) trial reduced our overall emissions by 10% in 2023/24 and is a great example of how we are adapting our operations and services to work towards our 2040 goal.”
This work will contribute to the council’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2040. This pledge covers all service areas, and the council aims to encourage residents and businesses to join it on the journey towards a more sustainable future. More details are available at: www.darlington.gov.uk/sustainable
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