New council investment in renewable energy at Omega

MORE than 3,000 solar panels – covering an area almost as big as a Premier League football pitch – have been installed on the roof of a factory building on Warrington’s Omega site.
The panels on the roof at French automotive supplies company Plastic Omnium has been installed by Warrington Borough Council following an agreement with the firm.
The development forms part of the council’s investment in renewable energy schemes which generate a financial return for the authority and follows the enormous success of the installation of solar PV panels on social housing in Warrington.
The council selected the Plastic Omnium building and have worked closely with the building owners and occupants to deliver the project.
Warrington Borough Council will own, operate and maintain the panels, effectively renting the roof space of the building. The panels will provide Plastic Omnium with discounted electricity, with all profits made by the council through the deal ploughed back into delivering vital council services.
It’s estimated that the panels – which have been installed by EvoEnergy – will generate 735,000kWh of electricity each year – about equal to that used by 200 average households per year.
Council leader Russ Bowden said: “We are leading the way as one of the first local authorities in the country to invest in this type of low-risk, long-term energy and income generation strategy.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to reduce the council’s carbon emissions and to work in partnership with Plastic Omnium.
“The scheme will generate a revenue income to the council over 20 years, which will be used to support essential council services. We are actively looking at other possible installations and assessing their feasibility for future projects.”
The use of the solar panels at the site will save around 208 tonnes of carbon per year. By delivering schemes of this nature the council will reduce carbon emissions, improve long-term energy security and support the local economy.