Over 400 brand-new solar panels will help to power more of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s community centres with zero-emission electricity this summer.

In a move to save its community centres money and cut the borough's carbon footprint, in December the council began a project to put solar panels generating free energy on up to 12 more of its community buildings.

Three-quarters of the upgrades are now complete, with panels fitted to Bishops Green Village Hall, Old Down Hall, Oakridge Hall for All and Hill Rise Hall, as well as the Beggarwood, Hatch Warren, Tadley, Roger Morris and Rucstall community centres.

To monitor how much energy the new systems are generating, the council is using software to keep an eye on them remotely and check they are working properly.

The last three centres are in line for panels by the end of the summer, subject to final checks and planning permission. They are the Rooksdown Community Centre, Sycamore Halls in Winklebury and the Irish Centre in Basingstoke town centre. 

Solar panels are also due to be fitted to Oakridge West Community Centre in the next few months under a separate project.  

Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency Cllr Chris Tomblin said: “By the end of the summer, the new solar panels on our community centres are likely to be generating hundreds of kilowatts of free electricity every month.

“This could see our centres’ annual energy bills fall by hundreds of pounds, freeing up cash they could spend on activities, events and services for their communities instead.

“And the renewably generated energy would also slash local emissions by thousands of kilograms every year too, helping to support our borough to do its part to tackle climate change.”

The council is fully funding these new solar panels under its pledge to power more of its properties with renewable energy. Its aim is to improve air quality and cut carbon in support of its 2019 climate emergency declaration.

More information about how the council is improving its community centres is at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/community-centres-improvements