Grant awarded to enable further research into solar canopies in local car parks

Nine public sector organisations received a share from the £727,000 Investment Readiness Service Grant, which is provided by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, to help drive net zero projects from the feasibility study stage to the investment and delivery stages.

The district council’s share of the funding will be used to further explore the business case for solar canopies in council-owned car parks and their potential impact on the heat decarbonisation of leisure centres.

Last year, Grand Union Community Energy (GUCE), a community energy group, received £40,000 from the Community Energy Fund to undertake a Stage 1 feasibility study to scope the viability of solar canopies.

Emma Sheridan, Three Rivers District Council’s Associate Director for Environment, said: “Our feasibility study suggested that installing solar canopies in some of the council’s car parks was indeed technically and legally feasible. However, these are big, complex and often costly renewable energy projects.

“So, this grant funding will be used to further explore the financial viability of solar canopy installation and, for those that are viable, create robust and detailed business cases on which the council can make informed decisions.”

More about the Greater South East Net Zero Hub:

The Greater South East Net Zero Hub is one of five Local Net Zero Hubs in England funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to help the public sector and communities play a leading role in decarbonisation.