The news that electricity and gas prices are set to keep rising in the future won’t come as a surprise to anyone.
It’s certainly no surprise for the Leisure Industry; half hourly metering is common place for sites with high electricity consumption. Electricity as a cost centre is gaining more and more attention across the industry as a key area to make financial savings and meet environmental commitments.
Halo Leisure in Herefordshire had an annual utility bill for around £800,000. For a not for profit charity with nine centres, the group had a number of requirements; financial savings were just one of them. Halo needed to find ways to free up resources to deliver more back to the members and community.
Making steps to reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuel electricity was made a key part of their energy reduction plan, launched in 2010. Reducing energy consumption by 30% before 2020 is the key goal. The group is on target to do this and have had some real successes across different sites using a whole range of energy efficiency measures and renewable sources of electricity.
Halo had identified some great efficiency measures, installing PIR lighting, anti-glare film, replacing old for new with efficient pumps. Renewables were on the wish list but cost had been a barrier, practical concerns, such as fact that the premises are leased via the local council had stood in the way.
Considering renewables as part of the overall energy provision package for sites with high consumption buildings in the Leisure industry is no longer just a Carbon Reduction Commitment. A mix of retrofit efficiency measures and renewables is a key factor in protecting the balance sheet into the future, by owning the energy generation; sites with Solar Photovoltaics (PV) for example are able to counter future increases in electricity costs with onsite generation powered by the sun. A typical PV installation pays for itself in 8 to 10 years, and could deliver up to and beyond 50 years free electricity.
Andy Talbot, Head of Technical Services at Halo pioneered an outstanding idea, by bringing together a community group who wanted to form an Energy Co Operative, and the landlords Herefordshire Council. He was able, with the help of Share Energy, advisors on community energy schemes and contractors Southern Solar to deliver a huge 50kWp Solar PV system of 212 panels on the roof of the Halo Tennis Hall in December 2011. The system is owned by the 97 local people who are members of the Community Solar Cooperative.
Since going ahead last year, Andy’s records show that the centre uses 99% of the electricity produced on site, the community group have an agreement whereby Halo pay a lower than market rate for the electricity so he is also saving the charity money. By adopting Solar PV, he was able to knock over 18,000 kg CO2 off their annual carbon footprint too.
Andy is still working on further measures to continually improve efficiency, consumption and drive down costs for the charity, as a group Halo are passionate about community involvement, they have boards in all centres showing the measures and the savings, the plans and goals.
Solar isn’t limited to generating electricity, Pools such as Kent College for Girls, a public access pool and many more across England and Wales are set up with Solar Thermal or Solar Hot Water systems by Southern Solar, these generate heat from light and work all year round delivering warm water just from the power of daylight. Solar Hot Water works for both pool heating and shower cylinder systems; it’s one of the most efficient renewable energies to be installed and also attracts the Renewable Heat Incentive payments making pay for itself faster and even more viable.
Southern Solar has been helping communities in the UK harness the power of the sun for the last 10 years. The company has a long-standing commitment to the environment and to enabling the transition to a sustainable, low carbon future.
With a network of offices in Bristol, London, Oxford, Sussex, Hampshire and Wales, we work on all scales of projects across the UK, and can help you take your first step in joining the solar revolution.
