It marks the latest in a flurry of innovative solar projects to have begun operations across the UK recent weeks
A "UK-first" solar-powered park-and-ride scheme has begun ferrying passengers on electric buses between Stourton and Leeds city centre, marking the latest in a flurry of innovative solar projects to have started operations nationwide in recent weeks.
It means there are now three park-and-ride schemes operating in Leeds, but the city council said the Stourton site is the first in the UK to be powered by its own solar panels and a battery storage system,
which the the city council estmThe council estimated that the new battery facility reduced carbon emissions by around 471,000 KGCO2e in 2022.
The site comprises a 1.2MW 'SolarEdge' solar system, smart EV charging infrastructure, and a 950kWh battery which allows solar to power the site outside of daylight hours, according to Leeds City Council.
The system is expected to generate around 852,000kWh of electricity a year, making the site entirely energy self-sufficient for its operations such as lighting, CCTV and heating in the waiting room. In addition, the onsite battery is expected to be able to export around 12 per cent of its stored electricity back to the grid, with the remainder used to power the park-and-ride site outside daylight hours.
Overall, the council estimates the site's clean power technologies will help avoid over 470,000kg of CO2 compared to relying solely power from the grid and fossil fuelled buses, thereby supporting its goal to reach net zero carbon by 2030, while the park-and-ride scheme itself is designed to help reduce congestion and pollution in Leeds city centre.
The project was partially funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) with a further grant awarded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Evo Energy was the solar installer for the project.
Jonathan Roper, principal renewable energy consultant at Evo Energy - the solar installer at the site - hailed the project as "a sustainable example for other cities to follow".
"This site highlights how a project can positively impact a community, the local economy, and businesses throughout the city by enabling renewable energy powered transportation and enhancing the volume of transport links," he added. "It's a great step forward in sustainable electrification of transport, while overcoming local grid limitations and the essential need for smart energy solutions."
Meanwhile, over in the North East of England, another pioneering local solar project also launched earlier this month in Northumberland which is expected to both slash carbon emissions as well as deliver major savings for the local council's energy bills.
Northumberland County Council claims the £3.8m solar car port array which opened earlier this month is "one of the biggest" of its kind in the UK, comprising a covered parking area with a canopy made from photovoltaic (PV) panels, which is set to provide clean power to the council's headquarters, County Hall in Morpeth.
Designed and built by electricity distributor UK Power Networks, the solar canopy has turned the 40-year-old car park into a major renewable electricity generator which is expected to provide around 40 per cent of County Hall's power requirements, including chargers for its growing electric vehicle fleet. Once combined with County Hall's existing rooftop solar array, around half of the building's energy needs are expected to be met by the council's own solar electricity.
As a result, the council said it expected to each year save between £100,000 and £150,000 on its energy costs while also reducing its carbon emissions by 250 tonnes thanks to its solar panels.
The council said the project was part-funded by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 with match-funding from the council, which it said it plans to recoup through energy savings.
David Mitchell, director of UK Power Networks Services, said: "We are delighted to be delivering such a pivotal project for Northumberland County Council to assist in their objective of reducing carbon emissions in half by 2025. This solar energy infrastructure is one of the largest solar car port installations in the UK and will change the way the Council's fleet operate to reduce cost and improve carbon efficiency."
And, in related news in the South West of England, plans for a new 18.75MW solar farm capable of providing enough electricity to meet the needs of 4,400 average homes in Bristol were last week given the green light by South Gloucestershire Council.
Developer Renewable Connections submitted plans for the Codrington solar farm last October, incliding include a package of landscape, ecological and biodiversity benefits as well as a community benefit fund of £37,000, it said.
John Leith, Renewable Connections' development director, said: "Councils such as South Gloucestershire understand that urgent action is required to limit the environmental impacts produced by the climate crisis and many have now declared their own climate emergency."
