Poundbury waste depot is becoming more energy efficient after solar panels have been installed on its roof.

As part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) which saw Dorset Council awarded £19m of central government funding by Salix to make publicly owned buildings more energy efficient solar panels have been added to the depot in Dorchester, as well as Crookhill waste services depot in Chickerell. They are already producing more than 200,000kWh of renewable energy each year and providing more of each building's power needs.

At the Poundbury depot, 182 panels have been added to the roof. This is expected to generate around 71,057 kWh each year, which is more than the site's typical annual usage, and save around 18 tonnes of CO2 annually.

At Crookhill, 302 solar PV modules have been installed on the roof of the main depot building. These are expected to produce around 135,180 kWh of electricity each year - the equivalent of 36 homes' power - and saving around 30 tonnes of carbon emissions.

The panels on the roof convert the sun's energy into direct current electricity (DC), which is then converted into alternating current electricity (AC) that is used on the premises. The panels will always generate as much power as they can, so if they sites do not use this energy, then it will automatically feed into the national grid.

Similar panels have already been installed in schools, libraries and leisure centres as part of the PSDS programme that is being coordinated by Dorset Council's sustainable properties team. The work also includes the installation of heat pumps, LED lighting and improved building management systems at various Dorset Council sites and buildings across the county.

Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council's portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said: "At a time when energy is so expensive for everyone, I'm delighted to see we're already reaping the benefits of producing our own renewable electricity across these waste depot buildings. Not only will this save money that we'll be able to redirect toward more essential services, but the carbon savings will help us reach our net-zero emissions target as per our climate and ecological emergency strategy.

"I would encourage people to investigate whether installing solar panels or other energy saving measures at your home may be useful. If you run a business or a public/community sector organisation, our Low Carbon Dorset programme may be able to help you improve your energy efficiency and increase your use of renewable energy.

"A huge thanks goes to Ineco Energy and Wessex Eco Energy who installed the panels at Crookhill and Poundbury respectively, as well as the many council officers who are working tirelessly to ensure our £19m PSDS grant is spent effectively and efficiently."