The latest installation on the a Metropolitan Police Service’s building has seen solar PV panels installed on the roof of Lewisham station, in south east London.

So far, including Lewisham, three of the Met’s buildings have had PV installed on roofs.

And in total this has reducing the force’s carbon footprint by more than 90 tonnes a year, equivalent to saving the fuel emissions of a car travelling 270,000 miles, according to the Met.

It follows a similar installation in Lambeth and a large-scale one at the Met’s firearms and public order training centre in Gravesend, Kent.

Lewisham’s PV array is estimated to save 15 tonnes of CO2 a year and will create annual energy savings of 28,305 kWh.

But of the three sites, Gravesend is the largest with more than 500 solar panels, covering approximately 820 square metres.

The panels will supply more than 90,000 kWh of renewable electricity a year, this will save over £50,000 a year and 50 tonnes of CO2 a year.

Met head of carbon management, Neil Grange, said: “In practice on-site opportunities for renewable energy generation can be limited.

“However, we are working on three key sites on our estate that will deliver significant low carbon benefits for up to 25 years.”

Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) were also been used in the projects.

Luke Walsh

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