A solar carport has been installed at East Riding Leisure (ERL) Driffield by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
This is the first solar carport installed by the local authority in East Riding and is believed to be the first of its kind.
Darren Jackson, general manager at ERL Driffield, said:
“The solar carport is a really innovative way to generate green energy, tackle climate change and reduce our environmental impact. It’s a fantastic design that delivers on the environmental benefits without impacting on car park provision for our customers.”
There are two 7.4kW dual electric vehicle charging units located in the carport, along with 52.4 kWp of solar photovoltaics (PV). In solar PV, energy from the sun is used to generate electricity.
Approximately 52,200-kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity will be generated, reducing the site’s carbon emissions by 9 tonnes and its electricity bills by almost £20,000.
Residents of the East Riding will also benefit from the installation of electric vehicle chargers, reducing range anxiety that may be felt within rural areas. Anxiety about the range is the concern that a vehicle does not have enough energy storage (fuel or battery capacity) to cover the distance.
Solar PV, a solar farm, a solar carport, and EV charging units across the council were funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
East Riding Leisure Driffield will also install a solar carport as part of this scheme. It is estimated that the leisure center consumes significant amounts of electricity, and solar panels have already been installed on its roof.
A solar carport is seen as an innovative way for the council to generate more renewable energy for the site. A dual EV charging unit is also available to users of the facility for charging their electric vehicles.
In total, the scheme cost around £300,000, with almost 50% of the funding coming from ERDF.
It was delivered on time, on budget, and with minimal disruption to the center’s users by the council’s infrastructure and facilities team and contractor JP Developers.