In late 2018, the Fit Cymru Project at Bangor University saw the addition of new Solar PV panels on four of the universities buildings: Brambell, Thoday, Wheldon and Canolfan Brailsford. Since then, permission has also been granted to place additional panels on the library section next to the Grade 1 listed aspect of the main- arts building. Instillation is expected to begin over the Easter holiday period and staff are excited by the prospect of partaking in the creation of a low-carbon future for Wales.
The funding came from a Welsh Government initiative to improve energy efficiency and lower overall Carbon emissions. The university was awarded £2.5 million, which is where the financing came from for the solar panels. It is considered a long-term investment, and savings on the universities energy bills are expected to be more than sufficient.
“Once completed, the project will have installed more than 600 individual PV panels, expected to generate more than 144,000kWh of electricity each year (enough to power more than 40 average houses), cut nearly £20,000 off our annual electricity bills and reduce our carbon footprint by more than 56 tonnes CO2e (roughly equal to traveling 130,000 miles in an average car)”, Liz Shepard, Sustainability Lab.
Not only do the solar panels result in a saving for the university, but they also demonstrated just how effective Renewable energies are (even in the Welsh weather) and what kind of impact schemes such as this can have on larger enterprises or businesses, such as universities. Worldwide, it is imperative that we, as individuals and as a collective, reduce our Carbon Footprints and Bangor University is making definite headway to achieve just that!
1 Comment
It’s a shame the Welsh government wastes puplic money when youth clubs and schools and old people’s homes are closing through out Wales i suppose they can afford to now after stopping the right to buy.