We've installed solar panels in our highways depot car park to reduce our carbon footprint

Date Added: 01/11/2021

We've installed solar panels directly onto the road surface of our Thorn Turn highways depot car park. The energy from these solar panels will be used to light, heat and power the depot.

The solar panels can generate up to 16,000kW of electricity per annum.

Vehicles will still be able to drive directly on the panels, in the same way as a regular road surface, with the panels generating power through sunlight at the same time.

The panels will reduce CO2 emissions, helping us to reduce our carbon footprint and support our aim for the depot to be run completely on renewable energy. It’s one example of how we're working towards becoming net zero by 2030 as detailed in our Sustainability Plan.

This is the third ADEPT Live Labs trial, where we're piloting three renewable energy projects, as part of the £22.9 million ADEPT Smart Places Live Labs Programme. The three schemes focus on capturing and reusing solar, kinetic and thermal energy, following a successful £1.05 million bid made to the Department for Transport.

This solar car park follows the successful thermal energy trial also at Thorn Turn car park where we've installed five geothermic probes that extend 150 metres into the ground.

The geothermic probes respond when the temperature drops to freezing by using thermal energy to de-ice the car park.

This enables vehicles to continue operating and saves money on gritting salt. The heat is contained in an on-site geothermal storage unit and can also be used to heat the depot, saving on energy costs.