The social housing provider had intended to install the panels before the start of summer, as part of a wider green energy initiative.
Dominique Caunce, head of policy and communication, said the installation ‘didn’t take long at all’ and established a foundation for future ‘green’ energy projects.
‘It’s something we’ve been thinking about,’ explained Mrs Caunce. ‘There’s a number of projects that we could consider so there’s definitely plenty of opportunities.’
Voids and maintenance officer Lee Butler said the panels were currently producing more power than the building was using.
‘There are times in the day that we’re actually pushing energy back into the grid,’ explained Mr Butler. ‘It’s got the capacity for 12.71kw so on a really sunny day, that’s what it would be putting out.’
The installation package was provided by local solar panel company Sunworks, and included an app which provides data about the energy saved.
‘On the app it will tell us what’s been generated day by day, as well as on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis, and also lets you see what each panel generates individually,’ Mr Butler added. ‘It can also show how much carbon dioxide has been saved and it gives the equivalent in trees, which is currently around 41. It prompts you to be more energy-conscious with things like air-conditioning, so it’s very useful in terms of managing the building and making the most out of the panels.’
