Thanet District Council is responsible for providing a comprehensive range of sports facilities across the district of which swimming pools and leisure centres are key.
Like all leisure centres, Ramsgate Leisure Centre is highly vulnerable to rising energy cost volatility, due to its high energy use. The combination of extensive operating hours and the amount of equipment and facilities the site needs to keep operational meant the centre faced substantial energy bills and environmental impacts.
As a vital hub of community activity, Thanet District Council sought a renewable energy solution that would reduce reliance on grid electricity, cut carbon emissions, and support its 2030 Net Zero ambitions. To make this possible, the council needed a trusted partner capable of delivering a turnkey solution with minimal disruption – all within a tight timeframe to meet funding deadlines.
To ensure efficient, long-term reduction in both costs and carbon, Thanet District Council chose to invest in a rooftop solar PV installation and battery storage at Ramsgate Leisure Centre. The project was funded through the government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, so having successfully partnered with LASER on previous projects, the council opted for our ‘Fully Managed’ service. This meant we handled the entire project on their behalf, ensuring it was fully compliant with public contract regulations.
After conducting a comprehensive feasibility study, we designed a detailed site-specific technical specification, accompanying preliminaries and JCT contract that provided contractors with a thorough tender package to price against. Using LASER’s fully compliant framework, four specialist contractors submitted accurate and competitive bids. Evaluation considered quality, experience, social value and cost, with a full compliance and value-for-money report issued to the council.
Convert Energy was successful in bidding as the main contractor to ensure a safe, high-quality installation. Given the tight timeframe and the leisure centre remaining open to the public throughout the installation, meticulous planning and collaboration were essential to minimise disruption. LASER acted as Principal Designer, Client Representative and Contract Administrator, overseeing health and safety, contractor coordination, payment approvals and commissioning.
The project also faced an additional challenge; installing solar panels on a domed sports hall roof. Through careful design and planning, bespoke installation methods were applied to ensure long-term reliability and performance. Convert Energy carried out some preliminary repair works to the centre’s roof before the solar installation, making the system even more effective and long-lasting. Permanent edge protection and access ladders were also installed to support long-term maintenance and cleaning.
The new system – made up of 474 solar panels – fully utilises available roof space and generates clean, renewable energy directly on site, reducing the council’s reliance on external providers and helping to protect against electricity price volatility.
The project is estimated to save around £65,000 annually in electricity costs. It’s also helped the council take a significant step towards its 2030 Net Zero goal by reducing their carbon footprint by 50.7 CO₂ per year, which is equivalent to 2,330 trees.
£65,000
284kWp
100%
50.7tCO₂
As a council committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 through its Climate Change Plan, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council needed to take practical steps to decarbonise its estate – while facing increasing pressure to deliver value quickly and safely.
For local government, the conversation about net zero is changing. The ambition has not disappeared, but the language around it is becoming more practical, more local and, in many cases, more focused on the day-to-day pressures facing councils and communities.
Learn how Thanet District Council helped power Ramsgate leisure centre’s sustainable future with clean energy.