Works starts on solar panel installation at Dunstable and Flitwick leisure centres

Yesterday (June 12), work started on solar panel installation at Dunstable Leisure Centre and will take around four weeks.

The move will generate clean energy and reduce carbon emissions for the centre. Installation of solar panels at Flitwick Leisure Centre is ongoing.

The solar panel installations will cover a significant portion of the roof for both centres. Around 95 per cent of the electricity generated will be used by the leisure centres, while the rest will be back back to the grid - helping to keep energy spending and running costs lower.

Over the next 25 years, the solar panels will cut the carbon footprint of the buildings by 1,196 tonnes of CO2.

Cllr Tracey Wye, executive member of Sustainability and Climate Resilience said: “This is a great step towards the council achieving its goal of reducing its carbon footprint and its commitment to achieving net zero by 2030.”

She added: “As a council, we need to be more robust in ensuring new builds, especially large industrial units, include renewable energy technologies like solar panels on roofs.”

While Cllr Rebecca Hares, executive member for Health and Community Liaison added: “The solar panel installation will have a long-term positive economic impact on the leisure centres by generating some of their electricity.

“This will inevitably result in overall energy cost savings of around £86K per annum.”

On June 19, the disabled parking bays at the front of the Dunstable centre will be closed. Everyone Active, who run both leisure centres on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council, said that anyone who needs access to disabled parking is able to use the bays in the GObowling car park next to the building.

Gary Foley of Everyone Active said: “We are delighted to support our partners at Central Bedfordshire Council on the installation of these solar panels, helping them to achieve their net zero ambitions, as well as our net zero strategy.”

He added: “While there may be some noise created by the installation, all facilities and activities will be open as usual.”

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