Hundreds of Households Benefit from £1.8 million Solar Scheme

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From: “Reading Borough Council” <webmaster@reading.gov.uk>
Date: 29 Mar 2016 2:14 p.m.
Subject: Hundreds of Households Benefit from £1.8 million Solar Scheme
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Hundreds of Households Benefit from £1.8 million Solar Scheme

29/03/2016
Reading Borough Council Press Release

A £1.8 MILLION scheme to install solar panels on hundreds of council homes has been completed.

The project will mean tenants can look forward to cheaper energy bills, the council will receive Feed in Tariff income from the government scheme and everyone will benefit from reduced use of carbon from clean electricity generation.

The council’s Solar Housing Project got under way in January last year and the final panels were installed in December.

Panels were installed on 457 council properties which were chosen because their design and position made them most suitable for solar panels.

Those tenants whose homes were not suitable for solar panels were offered energy health checks from an energy advisor to help them save money and use energy more efficiently in the home.

All of this is part of the council’s wider programme to improve its homes, reducing fuel bills and helping the environment. Tenants in Hexham Road, in Whitley, and some homes on Dee Park have also benefitted from external insulation to flats and houses, reducing energy lost and providing a ‘facelift’.

The amount of renewable electricity produced is expected to reach 1,075,200 kilo watt hours per year, which is enough to fully power 325 homes.

Tenants did not have to pay anything for the panels, or for their maintenance, and should save an estimated £110 per year on their energy bills.

The council is expecting to be paid about £155,000 per annum from the government’s Feed in Tariff scheme.

The scheme will also reduce the council’s overall carbon dioxide emissions by about 516 tonnes per year.

Councillor Richard Davies, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Housing, said:

“This scheme is great news for hundreds of council tenants who can now look forward to lower energy bills.

“We’ve already heard from tenants on key meters who are noticing the savings and more families will see the difference in their bills in the coming months.

“The council and its residents are also winners, with payments coming through the Feed in Tariff scheme and a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases being produced.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Pictures of solar panels installed on houses are available by calling the press office on (0118) 937 4289 or by email to david.millward@reading.gov.uk.

Media Contact: David Millward
Tel: (0118) 937 4289