Blenheim Palace Running on Solar Power

Blenheim Palace has installed 196 solar panels which will generate 50kw of electricity per year. Installed at their Bottling Plant and Rural Offices the fitting of solar panels will deliver a £4,500 saving on electricity costs per annum. The introduction of green energy will also reduce the Palace’s carbon footprint saving approximately 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide production each year.

The 196 solar panels take up about 250 square metres of roof space in the Oxfordshire location and will deliver a significant amount of the Plant and Rural Offices energy needs.

The sustainable project will offset carbon emissions equivalent to planting over 500 trees or not driving for 47,500 miles.

This is the latest development in Blenheim Palace’s commitment to sustainability and a wider Green Tourism initiative, which also includes the installation of a hydro powered cylinder and biomass boilers in 2014.

His Grace, the Duke of Marlborough says: “I am committed to making Blenheim Palace as sustainable as possible. There are certain challenges when working within a World Heritage Site that contains many areas of Special Scientific Interest. Installing solar panels on the rooftops at the Bottling Plant make use of otherwise redundant space, will cut carbon emissions and provide green power to the plant and rural offices without conflicting with any restrictions.

He continues: “We are continuing to make Blenheim Palace more and more sustainable with further plans in the pipeline. I am proud to be a member of the Green Tourism programme with these projects further enhancing our gold standards”