Funding for Solar Panels at St Neots Museum - Approved!

St Neots Town Council and St Neots Museum are pleased to announce plans to install solar panels and battery storage at the museum, subject to the necessary permissions. This joint project reflects a shared commitment to environmental sustainability and the responsible management of one of the town’s key heritage assets.

Funded from the Town Council’s Community Building Reserve, the investment follows detailed energy audits carried out across Council-owned buildings. These audits identified a range of opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions, including the installation of solar panels at the museum.

The Council, which owns the museum building, recently completed essential improvement works to the roof, ensuring the structure is sound and ready to accommodate renewable energy technology.

Once installed, the panels are expected to save approximately one tonne of carbon emissions per year, reducing the museum’s environmental impact and helping to lower energy costs.

What does a one tonne reduction in carbon look like?
Saving one tonne of carbon dioxide is roughly equivalent to Driving 3,500 miles in an average petrol car or Charging 121,000 smartphones. It would take around 50 trees a full year to absorb the same amount of carbon.

These savings, year after year, make a real and measurable contribution to the Council’s goal of achieving net zero emissions.

“This project is an important step forward in the Council’s journey to net zero,” said Cllr Ben Pitt, Chairperson of the Environment and Emergency Committee. “By investing in our community buildings and working in partnership with organisations like the museum, we can deliver practical, long-term solutions that benefit both the environment and our residents.”

The museum has welcomed the initiative from the Town Council, which will support its continuing efforts to operate more sustainably.
Mike Fletcher, Chair of Trustees St Neots Museum, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Town Council on this project. Generating our own renewable energy will not only help us reduce our carbon footprint, but also strengthens the museum’s long-term future by lowering energy bills and increasing resilience. It’s an investment in both sustainability and heritage.”

This collaborative initiative demonstrates a shared vision for a more sustainable future for St Neots, and the preservation and improvement of a valued public buildings.