Renewable Energy Solutions in Portsmouth

author: FutureCar Staff    

Portsmouth City Council has recently announced the commencement of a new project aimed at enhancing solar panel provision and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure for the community. This initiative will be based at Lakeside North Harbour and is expected to become one of the largest solar parking canopy projects in the United Kingdom.

The project will involve the installation of roof-mounted solar PV arrays across five buildings, as well as solar car park canopies across three parking lots, complete with battery storage provisions. The specific details of the project include:

• Creation of solar canopies above existing car parking spaces, incorporating 7,105 solar PV panels.
• Implementation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with provisions for adding additional charging points as demand increases.
• Utilization of the battery's capacity to provide service to the local electricity network during periods of high demand by storing excess energy.

This new facility is projected to have a significant environmental impact, resulting in a reduction of over 860 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, the solar PV system is estimated to generate more than 4 million kWh of electricity annually, which is equivalent to powering approximately 1,300 homes for a year. The facility itself will consume around 64% of this power, with the remaining energy being supplied by the battery. The battery's charging and discharging patterns will be carefully controlled to optimize efficiency based on peaks and troughs in the grid. For example, during times of high-power prices, the battery will discharge to Lakeside, reducing grid consumption.

Cllr Kimberly Barrett, the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Greening the City, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating, "We are constantly striving to improve our solar power in Portsmouth. Embarking on what could potentially become the largest solar canopy project in the UK is a significant step toward achieving our goal of Net Zero emissions by 2030 and embracing greener energy in our city."

It is worth noting that the facility in Portsmouth shares similarities with a project being undertaken by the Northumberland County Council, which aims to revolutionize their fleet operations. Further information about the Northumberland project can be found here.

Image credit: iStock

FutureCar Staff