Tipperary County Council PV Project
Tipperary County Council installed 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.
