Solar panels to slash energy bills at County Hall by 65%

Galway County Council is planning to slash its electricity bills for County Hall by up to two-thirds by installing solar panels – and will benefit from a State grant for the work.

The local authority has applied to the City Council for planning permission to erect 145 square metres of solar panels on the roof of Áras an Chontae on Prospect Hill.

If approved, the panels would up to 65% of the electricity required to power the building.

Already, the County Council has 50 sq m of solar panels on its roof, which are producing around 20% of the ‘base-load’ electrical demand for the country.

“Galway County Council has installed 50 sq m of solar panels on the roof of Áras an Chontae in order to reduce its imported electrical demand, in order to help reach the 2020 targets (set out by the European Union in 2014) of 33% increase in energy efficiency.

“This is producing approximately 20% of the base-load electrical demand for the building. The Council would like to increase the installed [solar] array to help produce up to 65% of the base-load electrical demand, thereby reducing the dependence on fossil fuel generated electricity,” the application reads.

It adds that the plans are in keeping with City Development Plan policy and the panels cannot be seen by the public.

The Council asked its city counterparts for a speedy decision – the project must be completed by October 30 or it will miss out on funding from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.