ENERGY from the sun is being harnessed to help power more water and sewage treatment works in Devon and Cornwall including the Crowndale site at Tavistock and Northcombe Water Treatment Works in Okehampton.

South West Water has installed solar panels at another 17 of its operational sites across the region in addition to the six installations last December.

The company has placed a set of 261 panels, each measuring 1.58m by 0.81m, at each site. Each set of panels is around the size of one-fifth of a football pitch and has the potential to generate 50KW of energy — enough to power 50 homes.

The exceptions are four sites where twice as many panels have the potential to generate 100 KW of energy — enough to power 100 homes, including the Okehampton site.

James Pearce, project manager for South West Water's H5O partnership, said: 'The solar panels are part of South West Water's drive to reduce its carbon footprint and help combat climate change.

'The company already operates hydro-electric and biogas plants and a wind turbine, and the new solar panels will help to further develop our renewable energy capability.

'Generating renewable energy for use on South West Water's operational sites reduces electricity costs and will have a positive impact on South West Water's customers' bills into the future.'

The solar panels cost in the region of £3-million, funded by South West Water.

The power generated by the panels will be used to help power the treatment works.

Solar panels were installed at Hill Barton Sewage Treatment Works at Okehampton in December.

South West Water currently uses approximately 250 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity each year. The company currently generates approximately 15 GWh of renewable energy each year.

It is working towards generating 30GWh per year by the end of 2015 and 50GWh by the end of 2020.