A new array of solar panels has been installed on top of the The Showroom in Lincoln, in order to cut energy bills and teach young people about renewable energy, the Lincolnshire Echo reports.

Some 200 roof-mounted panels now feature on the property, as the Lincolnshire YMCA looks to reduce to running costs of the building, as well as to use the energy generated to help power air conditioning systems.

It is expected that the solar system will make a return on investment within the first six years of the technology being present.

Furthermore, the technology could help to reduce the carbon emissions produced by the building by 25 tonnes a year.

Business manager of The Showroom Dean Graham told the Echo: "Irrespective of your views on global warming, fossil fuels are a finite resource that we have been mining for a considerable period of time.

"Moving to renewable energy sources is important for our sustainability and educating the next generation on why solar, wind and tidal energy sources are vital for their generation and the generations after them," he added.

The systems could therefore prove valuable in teaching youngsters about the importance of sustainable technologies and hopefully to influence their behaviour when it comes to energy efficiency in the future.

It is not the first installation of carbon reducing methods in the building, with the The Showroom also featuring low energy lighting and LEDs, in addition to energy efficient boilers.

The Lincolnshire YMCA is now looking to install green technology in more of its properties across the region.

A number of venues in the UK are looking to reduce their running costs, as the economy is still rather fragile. However, for charity funded buildings like the YMCA it is important to reduce energy usage and consumption as much as possible, so that money can be spent on help, support and education rather than on utility bills.