Solar Energy Usage and Strategy
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request information regarding your current and planned usage of solar energy across your estate. Please could you provide responses to the following questions: 1. Governance & Responsibility o Do you have a dedicated person or team responsible for solar energy investment and/or sustainability energy initiatives within your organisation? o If so, please provide their role/title (personal names are not required). 2. Current Solar Deployment o How many solar panel installations (PV systems) do you currently operate across your estate? o What is the total installed capacity of these systems (in kWp)? o What proportion of your organisation's energy usage is currently provided by solar generation? 3. Investment & Strategy o Does your organisation have a documented investment strategy for expanding the use of solar panels or increasing on-site renewable energy generation? o If so, please provide a copy of or link to the relevant strategy or plan (or summarise key points if not published). 4. Solar and Net Zero Commitments o Does solar energy form part of your organisation's Net Zero / Carbon Reduction Strategy? o If yes, how is progress against this strategy communicated to the public (e.g. via website, reports, dashboards, etc.)? 5. Future Plans o Are there any planned solar panel projects or expansions within the next 3 years? If yes, please provide high-level details (e.g. number of sites, scale of deployment, approximate timescales). o Have you conducted any feasibility studies on increasing solar capacity in the past 3 years? If so, can these be shared? 6. Procurement & Partnerships o Does your organisation currently use any third-party companies or frameworks to deliver solar energy solutions or manage installations? If yes, which ones? o Are there any upcoming procurement exercises planned relating to solar energy or wider renewable energy solutions? 7. Battery Storage o Do you currently use battery storage alongside your solar panels? o Are there plans to invest in battery storage in future? 8. Funding o Has your organisation accessed or applied for any external funding to support solar energy projects (e.g. SALIX, Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, LEP funding)? 9. Barriers o What are the main barriers your organisation faces to further adoption of solar energy (e.g. funding, planning restrictions, roof suitability, internal resource)?