Manchester City Council on track to get close to installation of 10,000 solar panels across city by end of 2023

Manchester City Council has announced that they are well on their way to installing almost 10,000 solar panels this year.  The specific number provided by the council is 9,859.  

An additional 2,962 panels have been commissioned or are in the pipeline to be delivered this year at locations such as Didsbury Library, and the Manchester Aquatic Centre. The move is a significant step for the council’s efforts in reducing their carbon footprint.

As part of this project work has taken place at the National Cycling Centre in a bid to turn pedal power into solar power. As part of the Unlocking Clean Energy in Greater Manchester project, The Council, working in partnership with Energy Systems Catapult and the European Regional Development Fund recently completed a £2.9m project to install solar car ports at the site.

In the eight weeks since the solar panels at the Velodrome went live, they have generated more than 47MWh of electricity, saving an estimated nine tonnes of carbon. The centre is one of the most energy-dependent sites of the council’s estate- and why an extra effort is being made to reduce its footprint in particular. 

Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: “This work shows that tangible progress is being made as the Council works to become a zero-carbon organisation.

“Renewables such as solar power, even in rainy Manchester, provide a viable and unlimited source of energy for buildings across the city. Looking at the National Cycling Centre, we have shown that we are able to seamlessly incorporate the use of renewable energy into the existing infrastructure, setting a clear example of how this approach can be replicated across the city.”