Dorset Council has saved around £54,000 a year on energy bills after installing solar panels at its highways depots in Ferndown, Wareham and Charminster.
The solar panels, installed in 2022, are also helping the council reduce carbon emissions, with over 750,000 kilowatt hours of electricity generated so far. Any unused energy is exported back into the national grid.
The three installations were part of a wider £19 million energy efficiency programme across more than 200 council-owned sites, funded through the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
In Ferndown, 234 panels are in use saving the council £17,000 per year.
Councillor Jon Andrews said the solar panels were “a significant step towards a greener future for Dorset” and highlighted that the energy generated is equivalent to the annual electricity use of 77 average homes.
The electricity produced is used to charge equipment, power the buildings, and support the council’s expanding fleet of electric vehicles.
The initiative supports Dorset Council’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2035. To meet this target, the council plans to improve energy efficiency, replace fossil fuel heating systems, and increase the use of renewable energy.
The council said the panels demonstrate how even smaller-scale projects can lead to meaningful cost savings and environmental benefits for local services.