02/11/2023: Breckland Council approve Solar panel installation at Dereham Leisure Centre

Breckland Council is pleased to announce that it has approved the installation of solar panels at Dereham Leisure Centre.

The council has agreed to release £120,000 from the Growth and Investment Reserve to add to the £160,000 from the previously released Breckland 2035 funds. This money will enable the installation of solar panels on the roof of the leisure centre.

The solar panels will be mounted on the High-Level upper roof and Bowls Hall roof, making use of all available space to optimise the reduction in carbon emissions. The projected income from this initiative, after maintenance costs, is around £1 million over a period of 25 years and is expected to result in a CO2 equivalent reduction of almost 47,000 kg per annum. Any remaining energy will be exported to UK Power Network who have agreed to purchase it from the council.

The solar panel project will complement the destratification works that were approved for Dereham and Thetford Leisure Centres in July of this year. 
Cllr Helen Crane, Executive Member for Waste, Environmental Health, Licensing and Sustainability said: "I am thrilled that the installation of solar panels on Dereham Leisure Centre has been approved by Full Council. This is a great step forward in our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and move towards a more sustainable future. Not only will this initiative help to generate income for the council, but it will also provide a clean source of energy for our community."