The Bristol swimming pool that's reduced its heating costs to £0

The pool is kept at a constant 30 degrees celsius by the new heating system.

A public swimming pool in Bristol has reduced its heating bill to zero by having new solar-powered technology installed on its roof.

Easton Leisure Centre in Bristol has reduced its swimming pool heating costs by 100 per cent, thanks to the new equipment.

The installation was a pilot project set up by Bristol City Council and the centre’s provider, Everyone Active.

Company Solarsense installed 800 solar thermal tubes in May, with the aim of saving energy, money and 13 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere every year.

Since its installation in May, heating the centre has not incurred any energy costs for the pool as it is heated to 30C entirely by the sun.

The process is carbon neutral but also helps the leisure centre keep energy bills down.

  • See the solar thermal rods which heat the pool

General manager Noel Hickman said: "These are solar thermal tubes, we have 800 on the roof itself.

"The water for the swimming pool is pumped through and around the tubes to heat up and then returns to the water to keep it a nice 30 degrees.

"This is part of Bristol City Council's initiative for their green plan. The works took about three months to input the tubes.

He added: When the energy provided isn't sufficient to keep the pool at 30 degrees the gas boilers will kick in, which will happen more during the winter months.

"At the minute we are very lucky with the weather we've had, we're saving around six pence per kilowatt hour."

The scheme has been so successful it will roll out across two other leisure centres across Bristol.