Solar car parking canopies installed as part of energy efficiency project

The installation of solar car parking canopies at County Hall Car Park in Haverfordwest will conclude an extensive energy efficiency project undertaken by Pembrokeshire County Council.

In July 2018, the Council began delivery of the Re:fit Cymru energy efficiency project, a £1.3 million scheme funded by WG Salix interest free loans.

The project has seen the installation of over 50 energy efficiency measures across 25 sites since it began, with the installation at County Hall being the culmination of this work.

The solar car parking canopies, in addition to providing the potential for future charging of electric vehicles, will contribute towards the project’s saving of £200,000 and 416 tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Cllr Cris Tomos, Cabinet Member for Environment, Public Protection and Welsh Language, said “As an Administration, we have clearly set out that responding on climate change is one of our key aims and aspirations.

“The Council has announced a climate emergency, and an action plan is in place to steer Pembrokeshire County Council towards becoming a net zero-carbon local authority by 2030.

“The Re:fit Cymru project is another one of those taking us on this road to becoming a net zero-carbon local authority.

“I want to thank everyone that has been involved in this project and I’m very pleased that we are pushing forward with these changes.”

In order to accommodate the solar car parking canopies, an ecology report concluded that 11 Holm Oak trees would need to be felled, in addition to a small beech hedge.

The new system will reduce CO2 emissions by 19,380kg per year, a significant increase on the 242kg absorbed by the 11 trees annually.

To compensate for the loss of the trees and hedge, an order has been placed with a landscape contractor to plant 13 trees across two sites: Picton playing field and Horsefair roundabout.