Teignbridge looks to solar panels on council property to cut carbon footprint (and maybe make some mula!)

By PRSD, on Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Some rights reserved by Andreas Demmelbauer

Solar power: South Devon’s Teignbridge Council is looking to instal solar panels on council property to cut its carbon footprint, with a long-term pay-back

There are plans afoot in Teignbridge to put solar panels on council-owned property, which would not only cut the council’s carbon footprint, but also, maybe, start earning some revenue as excess energy is sold back to the National Grid. We asked Teignbridge Council’s energy supremo, Cllr Gordon Hook to explain. Take it away Gordon…

A sum of £40,000 has been included in the 2011-12 budget for PVs [Photovoltaic Solar Panels] on Forde House (obviously the south facing roof) the planning application for these is in and it’s ‘all systems go’ with a target date of April 1 for installation – a great Good News Story for all concerned.

At current energy prices the pay back period is predicted at eight years eight months, but all local authorities in Devon are budgeting for an electricity price rise of 20 per cent from March 31 this year and it could well be higher than that. We won’t know till later this month or even into March.

Consequently, generating our own power, and being paid to do so, makes a lot of sense. That said, I wouldn’t want anyone to think we can generate enough to keep the business running when the power cuts come in the second half of this decade, because it will need further investment to achieve that.

What I hope is that this is the start of a move towards a much greater element of renewable energy for Teignbridge, and after the elections in May I will be looking at other parts of the estate –Leisure Centres for instance – to invest in.

This is a clear statement by the Lib Dem administration at Teignbridge that we believe renewable energy has a significant part to play in the nations energy package.

We hope this statement will encourage all residents and businesses to examine the potential of their own buildings to generate renewable energy. I would really like some of the major business establishments in town to seriously consider the energy they currently consume and investing in this carbon reducing technology (ASDA/Austins/Tesco/Sainsburys etc as well as schools/churches/businesses on our industrial estates).

Let’s never forget that it is all about carbon reduction and the fight against climate change, not just money saving. We really are all in that together!

Now is certainly the best time to act. Trade in Tariffs are higher than they have ever been (indeed higher than they are ever likely to be) and as the Coalition Government has changed the rules and now are allowing local authorities to generate power and sell to the grid, which was, for some bizarre reason lost on me, not permitted by the previous Government, Teignbridge Council are doing exactly the right thing, and in so doing again leading the green agenda in Devon.

As regards Conservative-led Devon County, I don’t know where they stand. I have consistently plugged renewables and the need to invest now, but I don’t have the same influence at DCC as I might have at TDC – the administration at DCC seems intent on slash and burn and just isn’t concerned about innovative environmental issues. Not so much short sighted as no sighted.

(image: Solar Panel Some rights reserved by Andreas Demmelbauer)

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PRSD

Here's a comment from the Greens…

South Devon Green Party welcomes the news that Teignbridge District Council is taking up the long held Green Party policy of installing Photovoltaic cells on the roof tops of public buildings to produce electricity and create an income stream for the authority.

Exeter Green Party called for just such use of council buildings during the Exeter City council elections back in September 2010 and throughout the Devon County Council Tough Choices, Green Party members challenged DCC leader John Hart to do likewise with County buildings. We hope that Teignbridge’s excellent adoption of Green Party ideas will be followed by other authorities in Devon and the country.

David Bailey, South Devon Green Party co-ordinator for Teignbridge, said: “Imaginative ideas such as these clearly demonstrate that local authorities can do more than imply think about budget cuts to vital services. The Green Party will continue to come up with innovative ideas and policies and will never mind if other parties begin to take these up. We welcome the bravery of Teignbridge Councillors in adopting Green Party ideas."

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Anon Cow

Good good! It can't come soon enough!

David

Watch this space AC… though the council is more likely to be an enabler or part of a partnership than a sole provider.

The council itself recycles 70% of its ‘waste’, so there is a two pronged approach needed. The council needs to teach businesses in Teignbridge to recycle more and make sure there is a system to collect recyclable materials. It could save businesses a lot of money, which I suspect will be a bigger incentive than corporate social responsibility.