Plans have been submitted for an innovative green electricity project with the ability to power the City Council’s fleet of electric vehicles.

If given the go-ahead, the solar and battery storage smart grid would connect to the National Grid, supplying green electricity and helping the city towards its target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

The site earmarked for the project is in Water Lane, Marsh Barton, and is currently used as the Council’s storage facility for green waste.

Plans are to provide 3,702 solar panels, two battery storage containers and an electricity switch room. The site would be screened off by existing trees and bushes.

The site would be connected up to the Council’s operational depot in Exton Road, enabling the local authority to provide green electricity to its fleet – including refuse and recycling vehicles – and replace its diesel vehicles and improve air quality.

Surplus energy would be fed into the National Grid during times of peak energy demand, balancing energy flows.

The plans have been submitted to the Council’s planning committee, and if given the go-ahead the project will be made possible thanks to a grant from the European Regional Development Fund.

It is hoped that the project will be up and running by 2021.