A project that will save more than £24,000 and cut up to 48 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year is being rolled out in Renfrewshire as part of a council drive to be greener and more efficient.

The first phase of Renfrewshire Council’s solar panel project is now complete at five schools and is moving on to local care homes, with more sites planned for next year.

Councillor Iain McMillan, Health and Social Care Convener, paid a recent visit to Montrose Care Home to find out more about the panels that are now installed there.

He said: “Our solar panels project is extremely worthwhile and efficient. Because we’ll be generating our own energy via the panels we’ll cut the amount we need to spend on energy by £24,800 every year as a result of the first phase.

“So far this year, five schools have had panels installed and we’re now moving on to our three care homes. We have plans for a further three schools and the new Johnstone Town Hall next year.

“Across these 12 sites combined, the solar panels will cut 48 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually – meaning we’re taking a significant step forward in our commitment to be a greener council.”

Once completed, each site will save around 4,031kg of CO2 every year. This means a combined CO2 saving across the 12 sites of 48,372kg (48.3 tonnes) – that’s enough CO2 to fill 288 double-decker busses.

Solar panel installation, phase one:

Castlehead High (complete)
Trinity High (complete)
Gryffe High (complete)
Johnstone High (complete)
St James Primary (complete)
Montrose Care Home (just complete)
Renfrew Care Home (just complete)
Weavers Linn Respite (early 2015)
Renfrew High (early 2015)
Paisley Grammar (early 2015)
Parkmains High (early 2015)
Johnstone Town Hall (will open in summer 2015)
The council proposes to extend the project to a second phase later in 2015

A photograph of Councillor Iain McMillan at Montrose Care Home is attached. Pictures with Councillor McMillan is Paul Heron Energy Officer.

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