Council installs first solar carport

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has completed the installation of a solar carport at East Riding Leisure (ERL) in Driffield.

The installation is the first of its kind undertaken by the local authority and it is thought to be the first solar carport within the East Riding.

The carport houses 52.4-kilowatt peak (kWp) of solar photovoltaics (pv) along with two 7.4kW dual electric vehicle charging units. Solar pv is the generation of electricity using energy from the sun.

The installation is expected to generate around 52,200-kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity, reducing the carbon emissions associated with the site by nine tonnes and reducing the centre’s electricity bills by almost £20,000 per year.

The council’s asset strategy team secured funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) towards the installation of solar pv, a solar farm, a solar carport and EV charging units across the authority.

The scheme cost in the region of £300,000 with almost 50% of the funding coming from ERDF.

Cllr Chris Matthews said: “It is fantastic to see the installation of what is thought to be the first carport in the East Riding and certainly the first provided by the council.

“This innovative solution allows us to continue to work towards realising the council’s net zero ambitions whilst also allowing ERL Driffield to reduce their electricity bills during this cost-of-living crisis.
“I’m really pleased this work has been achieved with minimal disruption to our residents and now the people of Driffield have further EV charging units on their doorsteps.”
Darren Jackson, general manager at ERL Driffield, added: “The solar carport is a really innovative way to generate green energy, tackle climate change and reduce our environmental impact. It’s a fantastic design that delivers on the environmental benefits without impacting on car park provision for our customers.”