Schools and hospitals should leverage funding to install solar carports, a renewable expert has said, after research has revealed a significant power generation opportunity from car parks.
Damian Barker, Managing Director of RenEnergy, has said that institutions could regain control of their finances and energy supply if they elect to use the government’s new £180 million funding to install this unique method of solar energy generation.
To evaluate the potential impact carports could have, RenEnergy has commissioned ongoing research to identify how many parking spaces could be suitable for installation. So far, over 151,000 suitable parking spaces have been identified across schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and medical facilities in England and Scotland, which could produce over 350 GWh of power – enough to cover the average annual consumption of over 97,000 UK homes.
With the UK having 32,149 schools and 1,148 hospitals, the research has only scratched the surface of the amount of green power that could be produced.
If schools used the first major investment from the government’s state-owned power provider to invest in solar carports, RenEnergy believes they could use the now available energy funds to finance a variety of much needed assets.
With the teaching crisis putting substantial pressure on senior leadership to retain talent while balancing costs, reducing energy bills could allow schools to attract new educational providers and vital equipment and resources, the energy expert claims. Alongside this, by generating green energy, schools can help meet their local authority’s sustainability goals and provide teachers, students and parents with EV charging ports.
On the other hand, hospitals require a consistent flow of energy to perform and provide critical medical care to patients. RenEnergy believes that if they were to install solar carports, trusts would be able to provide additional resilience, managing challenges and delays due to power cuts.
Alongside providing green energy hospital premises, solar carports can also provide EV charging points to help the increasing number of electric vehicles recharge. As many hospital patients may be travelling long distances to receive specialist care, ensuring that they have an accessible space to charge their car is vital.
According to the Carbon Trust, schools spend £543 million each year on electricity bills, while the NHS is the single largest public energy user at nearly £1.5 billion. The use of solar carports could significantly reduce this figure, RenEnergy believes, allowing for the funds to be reinvested in teachers and medical advancements.
Damian Barker, Managing Director of RenEnergy, explains, “The rising costs for schools and hospitals has been of concern for many years now, with cutbacks and price increases impacting productivity. This is why the government has elected to make £180 million available to help future-proof these institutions with renewable energy solutions. Not only will this help reduce their bills, but also their carbon footprint.
“With the staggering amount schools and hospitals spend on energy alone, the money that they save can be reinvested in research, hiring, supplies and more so that they can provide a high-quality service. Carports can help make this a reality by using an existing asset which schools and hospitals have an abundance of.”
To add this additional facility, hospitals and schools do not need to apply for planning permission due to the installation being covered by permitted development. Once built, management will have to contact the District Network Operator (DNO) to secure grid capacity.
Damian continues, “The government has made its plans clear to help reduce the carbon footprint of schools and hospitals by investing in green power solutions. Carports could have a significant role in the rollout of this £180 million funding, helping institutions regain control of their finances and invest in the future.”
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