Arklow CU Reaps the Benefits of Solar Power

Community 3 min read

04 Oct 2023

As credit unions are continue to support their members to make their homes more energy efficient, many credit unions are now taking steps to increase the energy efficiency of their own buildings.

As a small part of their overall sustainability journey, Arklow Credit Union examined energy usage in their credit union building. They discovered that the installation of solar panels could offer both significant improvements in both  energy efficiency, and also cut down significantly on the credit union's energy bills.

In July, this year, 44 solar panels were fitted to the roof of the credit union building in Arklow, with no alterations required to the existing roof structure. The panels will deliver 27,440kwh per annum of energy, and in simple terms will cover 65% of the daytime energy usage. 

It is estimated the minimum savings in our energy costs will be more than €8,000 per year, based on the credit union's energy usage prior to solar panel installation. The payback period for his project will be just over five years, and the credit union estimate there will be a 25-year energy saving of more than €250,000.

Earlier this year, credit unions were appointed Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) champions by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications for 2023 and 2024. The 2023-2024 SDG Champions Programme has been developed to raise public awareness of the SDGs and to demonstrate that everyone in society can make a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

For all of us, sustainability is a journey, and not a destination. It is clear that small, positive steps can make a significant difference and help us all to move in the right direction and to make a meaningful impact.