More than 40 solar panels to be installed on Willenhall secondary school car park - find out why

Energy from the panels at Pool Hayes Academy will be used to charge electric vehicles (EV), with any surplus going to adjacent buildings.

Each canopy at the Castle Drive school will have the capacity to charge two cars. They will be up to three metres in height, five metres wide and six metres long.

Each year, 10,000 kWh will be generated, equivalent to 160,000 miles charged per year. Non-EV cars will still be able to park under the canopies as normal.

The project will be delivered in partnership between the school’s trust, the Academy Transformation Trust, and solar infrastructure company, Grid 2. Grid 2 has already secured planning permission for 122 electric vehicle charging points at other school establishments around the country.

The solar canopies will provide free and clean electricity to adjacent buildings when not being used as charging stations, reducing the dependency on the National Grid for imported power.

The standard life expectancy of each canopy is a minimum 60 years with the solar panels having a guaranteed lifespan of 25 years.

The plans come as the government is set to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars, which comes into force from 2035.