North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) has set a budget of £500,000 for climate change and net zero activities.
At Full Council, it was decided that funds will be ringfenced for decreasing the council’s carbon footprint and funding projects that are focused on saving energy and reducing future costs. NNDC has already made progress in retrofitting its estate to become more energy efficient, with initiatives at Sheringham Little Theatre and Cornish Way Industrial Units over in North Walsham.
It is also committed to implementing different innovations, such as the “solar carport at The Reef” as cited by NNDC Leader, Tim Adams. Solar carports are particularly beneficial as they can retain functional space, while generating energy to power assets.
At The Reef Leisure Centre in Sheringham, RenEnergy has built a carport covering two of the three parking bays. The first has now been reopened for cars to park underneath, with the carport itself set to be fully operational at the start of August. From then, it is expected to produce around 276,000kWh of energy each year, helping to significantly reduce the centre’s energy costs and its emissions.
NNDC expects the energy savings arising from the carport to mean it will make back what it cost to construct in just six years. It is envisaged as a demonstration project, paving the way for further developments on other sites owned by NNDC and serving as a source of inspiration for other organisations too.
