A solar car port project installed at Wicklow County Council’s headquarters in Wicklow Town will generate renewable energy and assist in achieving climate change targets.
In August Enerpower, a Waterford-based company, commenced the installation of 300kWp of solar panel capacity for Wicklow County Council. This innovative project is the largest solar car port project in Ireland covering 107 car park spaces and circa 1600m2 at County Buildings.
Wicklow County Council has identified energy efficiency as a key goal in meeting the national targets and in reducing long-term costs. There is commitment at management level to achieving these targets, and Wicklow County Council has signed up to the SEAI Partnership programme for public bodies. An Energy team is in place for the Council. Wicklow County Council continues with a programme of upgrading social housing with energy efficiency measures.
Wicklow County Council provides services out of more than 35 buildings. These include the main County Building in Wicklow Town, area offices, Town Halls, libraries, heritage centres, swimming pools/leisure centres, fire stations, community centres and waste management sites.
The annual estimated energy consumption for Wicklow is 22 million kWh per annum of which approximately 10 million kwh’s is electricity and eight million kwh’s per annum is gas. Four million kwh’s is consumed by LPG, oil, and transport fuel.
Commenting on the project, Wicklow County Council Chief Executive Officer, Frank Curran, stated: “The installation of the solar panel car ports at County Buildings in Wicklow is a great example of using existing sites, such as car parks, to generate renewable energy and assist in achieving Climate Change targets.”
Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Shay Cullen, added “I’m delighted to see large innovative projects like the solar carport taking shape, it is one of our key energy efficiency projects for 2021”
