Wales’ national coal mining museum will get a boost from cleaner solar energy in an effort to reduce energy bills and its carbon footprint.

Big Pit, which is also a working coalmine, has installed 200 photovoltaic solar panels on its museum building in Blaenafon.

A second museum, The National Collection Centre in Nantgarw, has also had 200 panels added to its roof.

Along with Big Pit it is part of the National Museum Wales and together the buildings’ solar panels will save the organisation 5m kWh in power over 25 years and 44,813kg of CO2.

Big Pit museum manager Peter Walker said the museum would benefit from reductions in energy bills and a return from the Feed in Tariff.

“Coal is such an important part of Wales’ heritage and yet green energy will play a major part in its future. A solar powered coal mining museum is a fantastic way to celebrate this national journey.”

The project was completed by Warm Wales, which provides energy advice, installations, community regeneration, project management, surveying, architecture and planning expertise.