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Council successfully harnessing solar power

Friday, 24 January 2025 10:05

By Shelagh Parkinson

Sunny days in Blackpool are no longer just a boost for its millions of visitors – now the council is harnessing the sun’s rays to help keep costs down.

And the council could eventually meet all its energy requirements from clean energy (produced without emissions) if future plans come to fruition.

Solar panels have now been installed on council owned buildings including the Winter Gardens where the work is expected to save around £1.2m on energy bills over 25 years, with the cost of installation paid for in around four years.

Completion of the work at the Grade II listed venue is generating around five per cent of the building’s electricity requirement, according to a report to a meeting of the full council on January 29.

Solar panels installed at The Grange community centre at Grange Park are
providing nearly half of the annual energy requirement.

The next phase of work will see solar panels fitted at Palatine Leisure Centre under the successful Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund bid, and also at The Palatine Library, both on St Annes Road in South Shore.

The work on the library is part of the Eco Hub project (due for completion around March) which also includes fitting an air source heat pump. Future sites earmarked for solar panels include Layton Depot and the Blackpool Illuminations Lightworks depot on Amy Johnson Way.

Meanwhile a decision is expected shortly on scoping documents submitted to Fylde Council as part of proposals to build a solar farm at Blackpool Airport which has the potential to generate 18.7 million kilowatt hours of renewable electricity per year – which would cover 75 per cent of the council’s annual electricity use.

The next step would be an application for full planning permission for the project which would comprise of 36,500 solar panels across 62 acres.

Another site has also been identified for potential solar farm development which if it went ahead would mean all the council’s energy could be generated without emissions.

Council owned land is also being considered for further wind turbine operations but the report warns: “Due to urban make-up and the health and safety constraints, these have been limited but opportunities continue to be
explored with sites identified which are hoped could be brought forward in 2025.”

There are currently two wind turbines on the front of the Solaris Centre in South Shore.

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