Coin on the Costa del Sol makes big energy savings through solar

THE money Coin Town Council has invested in solar panels is starting to pay off with significantly reduced electricity bills. 

The municipality has installed a total of 128 solar panels, mainly for hot water, which brought savings of nearly 70 per cent of expenditure on energy, according to latest data. 

In cash terms this amounts to almost €30,000 a year from an investment of €200,000. 

Town mayor Francisco Santos said: “The commitment to the environment and the fight against climate change is very present in the Municipality of Coin and we continue to make investments every year to improve these results wherever possible.” 

He was speaking at the town’s indoor swimming pool, which now has 100 solar panels after three new units were fitted with a nominal power of 8.4 w. 

In total, there are seven municipal facilities, mainly sports, where the 128 solar panels are distributed: the municipal indoor swimming pool, the main sports centre, the El Rodeo Sports Centre, the Montes Hoyo swimming pool, the El Rodeo track, the EVA Sports Centre and the day centre.  

Santos says that the town council will from 2020 have a specific budget for energy efficiency projects, which will include the installation of electricity producing photovoltaic panels at the town hall and Casa de Cultura. 

He said: “Not only do we want to save on energy consumption, but also enhance its use by injecting this energy into the electricity grid from these municipal buildings.” 

Similarly, Santos stressed that the council will renew its objectives to reduce emissions by 40 per cent as agreed in the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy which Coin has signed up to. 

The municipality is currently part of the Network of Cities for Climate which has the support of more than 300 Spanish municipalities and where it has a representative on its Governing Council.