Tipperary County Council PV Project
BEC Applicant:
Tipperary County Council
Project Investment:
€326,850 (50% BEC Grant Funding)
Energy Savings:
171,000 kWh Annually
Project Payback:
7 years (Including Grant)
Energy Supplier Involvement:
Electric Ireland (obligated energy supplier) contributed advice and financial support to the project. The energy supplier financially supported approximately 1.5 % of the project costs.
Project Description:
This project involved the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on 9 Tipperary Local Authority buildings to provide clean renewable electricity and reduce demand from the grid by 171,000 kWh annually. A range of Local Authority buildings were chosen based on suitability and economic viability including 3 Civic Offices, 2 Fire Stations, 2 Libraries, a Machinery Yard and a Leisure Centre. The role of Tipperary Energy Agency was from initial feasibility studies and project creation, through to procurement and project management. Tipperary Energy Agency worked closely with the contractors and Tipperary County Council to ensure the project was delivered to a very high standard.
The 9 buildings chosen for the project and the number of kW installed can be seen below:
| Site | PV kW Installed | No. of Panels |
| Tipperary County Council Civic Offices Nenagh | 45 | 180 |
| Nenagh Leisure Centre | 45 | 180 |
| Tipperary County Council Civic Offices Clonmel | 35 | 140 |
| Clonmel Machinery Yard | 26 | 104 |
| Clonmel Fire Station | 15 | 60 |
| Nenagh Fire Station | 7 | 28 |
| Tipperary Town Civic Offices | 6 | 24 |
| Nenagh Library | 6 | 24 |
| Cashel Library | 7 | 28 |
| Total | 192 | 768 |
The project involved PV panels being installed on both pitched and flat roof mounting systems as seen below:
All PV arrays began generating power in early November 2014. PV panels have an expected life in excess of 25 years. There are no moving parts involved in PV systems, so very little maintenance is required. The power produced from these panels will equate to an average annual reduction in electricity demand of approximately 11% across the 9 buildings, making a significant impact on energy bills over the life time of the systems.
European Commission Publication
As a result of this project,we have been recognised as a leader in green public procurement in a European Commission publication. You can read the publication here: http://bit.ly/1Ahn0w7
PR
Irish Independent , October 7th 2014 – Solar panels to cut energy bills by more then 10pc
Silicon Republic, October 7th, 2014 – Ireland’s largest solar power project is now completed
Projects
An Economic Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Installations in Ireland
Bryan Hosford and Reena Cole
Department of Mechanical, Aeronautical and Biomedical, University of Limerick
