Despite the imminent Feed-in tariff cuts to solar PV, homeowners and local councils are still realising the benefits solar panels provide. Solar panels are renewable energy products that generate heat and electricity for homes and businesses. They’re installed onto roofs, usually facing south or southwest.

And now the Nottinghamshire County Council has seen solar panels as a great way to reduce the area’s carbon dioxide emissions and generate free energy. The council are looking to install £800,000 worth of solar panels onto corporate buildings in Nottingham. Electricity will also be fed back to the National Grid as an added income.

Early reports suggest the council will see an 8% return on investment year-in year-out for 25 years. This brings a combined total to £2.01m. With free electricity generated by the PV systems, there will be annual energy bill reductions of over £1,000 for each site.

It’s not just financially that Nottingham will benefit either, as sites will reduce carbon emissions by a massive 150 tonnes each year. This will make the city more environmentally friendly and cut their carbon footprint.

Councillor Reg Adair, Cabinet Minister for Finance and Property, said: “With rising energy prices and increasing taxes on our carbon emissions it makes sense for the council to generate some of its own energy and create an income stream by installing solar panels to our buildings.”

“The council aims to safeguard our environment and this investment has the added benefit of reducing our carbon footprint.”

The project to bring renewable energy to Nottingham will start this month and should be finished by the end of March. So if the government loses its legal challenge in the High Court, the council will be eligible for Feed-in tariff rates of 43.3p/kWh.

From April 1, Feed-in tariffs for all renewable energy products, including wind turbines and heat pumps, will fall to 21p/kWh. So if you’re considering renewable energy as a viable source of electricity and heat, why not look at the options today.