Solar panels installed at two key sites in Stockport

Work is now underway at two key sites in the borough to install roof mounted solar panels as part of efforts for Stockport to become carbon neutral by 2038.

The enhancements to Grand Central Leisure Centre in the town centre, and Endeavour House in Bredbury are part of Stockport Council’s commitment to support renewable energy and reduce the borough’s carbon footprint.

Solar panels on Grand Central Leisure Centre will feed power directly into the centre, operated by Life Leisure. Panels will produce around 300 kWp and avoid over 46,500 kg of CO2 emissions per year. The appointed contractor CorEnergy is leading on the installation.

Endeavour House in Bredbury, occupied by council-owned facilities management company Totally Local Company, will also benefit from EV Charging points, battery storage and a new sub-station as part of the upgrade. These renewables will produce an output of around 230 kWp and will avoid over 34,500 kg of CO2 emissions each year. The energy generated will power Endeavour House directly, with any excess in summer transferred to the battery. Work will be undertaken by ASH Integrated Services.

Both projects will complete by June 2023 and will be the blueprint that will help the Council to learn how best to retrofit renewables onto existing buildings, using the very latest technology, building expertise and learning.

Cllr Mark Roberts, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment at Stockport Council, said:

“In March 2019 Stockport Council declared a climate emergency and pledged support for the Greater Manchester Five Year Environment Plan. These two projects are just the start of fulfilling that commitment and this is a fantastic example of one of the many solutions available to organisations and businesses in the borough to decarbonise our society.”

Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services, said:

“This is very welcome news and it so important that we make provision to decarbonise in order to future proof our services. This is another big step forward in our commitment to become a carbon neutral borough.”

David Hughes CEO at Totally Local Company said:

“The introduction of solar panels at TLC’s site in Bredbury is a great step forward in our target to decarbonise our operations and, by adopting the latest technologies, builds on our current green agenda. We’re proud to support Stockport Council’s target to be carbon neutral by 2038.”

The work is being supported by a capital grant from the European Regional Development Funding (ERDF), as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. Funding has come about by working jointly as a consortium with five Greater Manchester authorities under the Unlocking Clean Energy in Greater Manchester (UCEGM) programme. There are currently eleven projects in the GM programme, collectively generating around 10 MW pa of clean energy and saving an estimated 3,008 tonnes of CO2 pa.

Picture (L-R): Antony Grace, Director at ASH Integrated Services Ltd; Alastair Burns, Site Manager and Divisional Head of Fleet Services at Totally Local Company; Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services; and Cllr Mark Roberts, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment outside Totally Local Company’s Endeavour House site in Bredbury.