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Today, society in general is more aware and educated about the environment: going green and minimising their carbon footprint. As a result, local authorities are being forced to implement measures to ensure the environmental concerns of their constituents are pacified, as well as maintaining the expected levels of service provision within strict budgetary constraints. Eastleigh Borough Council is one of the local authorities leading by example and is exploiting the sunshine by installing 288 solar panels as part of a recent green scheme.
Fleming Park Leisure Centre is the chosen location for the solar panels to be situated: at a cost of £185,000 to Eastleigh Borough Council. Creating a potential annual income of approximately £25,000 through the generation of over 62,000kWh of energy, the profitability is achieved through the Government backed Feed-in Tariff which allows any excess energy to be sold to the National Grid
Mr Huhne stated: “This is a good example of a scheme that will generate electricity from a renewable source that is great for the environment, the borough and the country. It will also provide the council with a significant income stream and help reduce their CO2 emissions.”
Eastleigh Borough Council cabinet member for the Environment, Louise Bloom, added: “Since the scheme started on July 30 we have generated on average around 200 kWh of electricity per day – so in less than a month we’ve already generated enough energy to power a house for a year. We encourage other local organisations to follow our lead.”
Eastleigh Borough Council is leading by example and looks set to profit not just financially but environmentally too. However, these projects are not without fault and necessary maintenance requirements. To ensure the maximum output from a solar panel it must be replaced after a certain period of time. As with most commodities, economies of scale play a role: buying in bulk reduces the individual unit cost significantly. Bulk buying of any product raises several issues, namely the storage of the items in question.
Economies of scale may reduce the unit cost but storing these items safely and securely is as much of a concern as the cost itself. These are sensitive electrical items with calibrated digital components which must be stored in an environment which will make sure they remain in full working order until the need to replace a panel arises.
Self storage facilities are a practicable option for any storage requirements but their utilisation is ever more advantageous when it comes to storing sensitive electrical equipment. Self storage rooms are not only available in a variety of sizes, they are clean, dry and secure. Items are therefore stored in a controlled environment, ensuring their longevity for whatever their intended outcome may be. Aside from electrical components, solar panels are made predominantly from glass: a fragile component if ever there was one so keeping these safe whilst in storage is a factor which must also be considered.
Self storage in Southampton is a service which is offered by a number of operators to both local authorities and the general public as a whole. The community within Southampton can also dedicate themselves to the environmental cause by using self storage facilities. Storing items seasonally will reduce waste, free-up valuable space within the home, aid towards the reduction of society’s carbon footprint.
