Barnsley Council plans 5,000 solar panel homes with Energise Barnsley
- Published
Plans for solar panels to be installed on about 5,000 council houses and buildings have been announced by Barnsley Council.
Tenants could see reduced energy bills without council money being spent on the installation, it said.
Any surplus money the scheme raises from the government feed-in tariff for solar electricity would fund community projects.
Money for the £10m capital costs would come from Energise Barnsley's partners.
Solar panels could be installed on about one-in-five of the council's homes and buildings, it said.
The cells do not need direct sunlight to work and could still generate some electricity on a cloudy day. The cells convert the sunlight into electricity, which can be used to run household appliances and lighting.
Energise Barnsley is to fit and maintain the panels using local contractors where possible.
Berneslai Homes, which manages 18,800 homes for the council, British Gas and Generation Community are to work with the council on the scheme.