A company with headquarters in Harrogate has installed 762 solar panels across the roofs of both of its buildings.
Belzona, which manufactures polymeric repair and protection systems, has installed the panels at Claro Road.
The panels, which cover 1,486 square metres, will generate over 300,000 kWh of electricity per year.
Ofgem, the energy regulator for Great Britain, estimates the average UK home uses 2,700 kWh of electricity annually, which is enough to power 111 homes.
The panels were installed by Keighley firm R&B Mechanical & Electrical Ltd.
Solar panels on Belzona headquaters
Helen Parris, QSHE manager and head of Belzona’s environmental committee, said:
“We have been working for many years to reduce our environmental impact, and whilst we still have a way to go on our journey to net zero, the investment in these solar panels represents an exciting step forward.”
The company said it had estimated the panels will have produced enough energy to offset the energy invested in their entire lifecycle within a couple of years.
Belzona did not reveal the cost of the installation of the panels. When asked by the Stray Ferret it would only say it had been a “significant investment”.
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Yorkshire Water to install solar panels at three Harrogate wastewater treatment works
Yorkshire Water is set to install solar panels at three wastewater treatment works in the Harrogate area.
Planning approval has been granted for panels at Harrogate North, Harrogate South and Staveley works.
The company said the move will help to contribute to its carbon net zero targets.
The three sites are part of the first phase of solar panel installations across 28 sites across Yorkshire.
Daniel Oxley, Yorkshire Water commercial manager, said:
“This project is a significant step in reaching our carbon net zero target by 2030. A number of our treatment works have surplus operational land due to changes in our treatment processes. Installing solar panels in these areas will put the land to good use and help us to generate electricity we can use without our sites.
“Once completed, the first deployment of solar panels at the 28 sites earmarked for solar panels will generate 4% of our annual power needs. Not only will the panels in Harrogate help increase our renewable energy use, but they will also reduce our exposure to energy price volatility, providing a more stable long-term base for a major operating cost, which will provide better value for money for our customers.”
The sites are expected to generate renewable electricity in July 2024 following enabling work, installation and commissioning.
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Developer wins appeal over Nidderdale solar panels ‘visual harm’ claim
The government has approved plans for the installation of 30 solar panels at a farm in Nidderdale despite “visual harm” concerns.
John Adams submitted the proposal for Gillbeck Farm on Peat Lane at Bewerley to Harrogate Borough Council in September 2022.
It would see 30 panels installed in order to “maximise the use of renewable energy sources”.
However, the authority rejected the proposal on the grounds that it would cause “visual harm and have a negative impact on the landscape and the character of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”.
It added:
“The solar panels will dominate the landscape and become a very prominent feature within it, in a negative and unacceptable manner.”
Mr Adams, who owns the farm, took the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning appeals.
He argued that the land would not be not visible to passers by and that Peat Lane was “infrequently” used by cars, walkers and cyclists.
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Now, Elaine Gray, a government planning inspector, has approved the plan.
In a decision notice, she said the “substantial benefits” of renewable energy would outweigh the limited harm caused to the the character of the area.
Ms Gray said:
Harrogate district sees rise in demand for solar panels“I have identified some adverse impact to the landscape and scenic beauty of the ANOB, to which I attach great weight. However, the scope of this harm would at worst be minor and localised.
“In addition, I am mindful that this harmful impact would be easily reversible. I have not been made aware of any other existing or consented solar developments in the area and saw none on my site visit.
“As such, no harmful cumulative effect in the wider area would result from the proposal.”
Demand for solar panels in the Harrogate area has almost doubled in the last year as homeowners look to reduce their energy bills while helping to tackle climate change.
Rooftop solar panels that harness the power of the sun to generate renewable energy have been around for decades but with record-high energy bills they are becoming an increasingly common sight in our towns and villages.
Before installing solar panels, a developer or homeowner must first get permission from North Yorkshire Council.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service compared the number of solar-related planning applications in the first half of 2022 with 2023, in the former Harrogate district area, and found it had jumped from 27 to 57.
Experts have put the rise in popularity for solar panels down to high energy costs brought on by the war in Ukraine, which has pushed up wholesale prices.
According to the Office for National Statistics, gas and electricity prices rose by 36.2% and 17.3% in the year to June 2023. It said energy prices have been one of the largest contributors to high inflation since April 2022.
As well as reducing bills, solar panels are one way individual households can reduce carbon emissions. The Committee for Climate Change says the technology will be crucial if the UK is to meet its 2050 net zero target.
The UK experienced a heatwave in June which saw 9.3% of the country’s energy generated by solar, but the figure is likely to be lower for July due to the largely wet and overcast conditions.
Tim Larner, vice chair policy advocacy at Zero Carbon Harrogate, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
“Zero Carbon Harrogate is delighted to note the increase in the number of planning applications with solar panels included and we congratulate those developers who are taking a sustainable and long-term approach.
“Not only does it make financial sense to include roof-mounted solar panels in all new developments, it’s also a practical response to the climate emergency.”
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It is not only homeowners who have been installing solar panels, schools including Oatlands Junior School, Harrogate Grammar School, Coppice Valley Primary School and Rossett Acre Primary School will install hundreds on their rooftops.
There has also been small-scale solar applications from farmers, with plans approved to add solar panels on top of agricultural barns in Burnt Yates, Beckwithshaw and Felliscliffe.
Mr Larner added:
Developer challenges Nidderdale solar panels ‘visual harm’ claim“We need to be taking every opportunity to make our homes, schools, hospitals and offices more sustainable in all aspects of their construction.”
A developer has appealed a decision to refuse the installation of 30 solar panels at a farm in Nidderdale over “visual harm” concerns.
John Adams submitted the proposal for Gillbeck Farm on Peat Lane at Bewerley to Harrogate Borough Council in September 2022.
It would have seen 30 panels installed in order to “maximise the use of renewable energy sources”.
However, the authority rejected the proposal on the grounds that it would cause “visual harm and have a negative impact on the landscape and the character of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”.
It added:
“The solar panels will dominate the landscape and become a very prominent feature within it, in a negative and unacceptable manner.”
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Mr Adams, who owns the farm, has since taken the case to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning appeals.
In a statement to the inspector, Mr Adams argued that the land would not be not visible to passers by and that Peat Lane was “infrequently” used by cars, walkers and cyclists.
He said:
“We respectfully disagree with Harrogate Borough Council in that we do not believe that ground mounted panels would be visually offensive to the small number of passing public, given our now clear collective responsibility to cut the use of fossil fuels and move towards reliance on renewable and sustainable energy sources.”
Bewerley Parish Council made no objection to the scheme.
A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.
It comes as the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority questioned whether it needed to do more to tackle climate change.
The authority, which covers part of Nidderdale, revealed at a meeting in September 2022 that the carbon footprint of the residents of the national park was estimated to be around 18% higher than the UK average.