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UK government backs 12 more low carbon communities

4/2/2010

Whitehill-Bordon ecotown and Exmoor National Park are among second tranche.

The government has awarded 12 communities up to £500,000 each to help install new green technologies under the Low Carbon Community Challenge.

In total, 22 communities will benefit from the £10 million Low Carbon Community Challenge grant fund. The aim of the fund is to inform government what works at a community level to cut emissions. The first ten winners were announced last December.

The latest communities are:

• Hook Norton, near Banbury, Oxfordshire: It will spend the money on a heat recovery system, solar panels, two community electric pool cars and a ground source heat pump for the local primary school; provide interest free loans for a whole-house retrofit of six homes;  insulate 40 homes and install solar thermal panels on a further 20; and put a bio-diesel tank in the local brewery.
• Ashton Hayes, near Chester, Cheshire: Ashton Hayes has already cut average household emissions of the 370 homes by 23 per cent since May 2006. It will spend the money on renewable generation including a combined heat and power plant and solar panel.
• Easterside, Middlesbrough: Two wind turbines will be installed in the grounds of two primary schools. Some 600 homes will be fitted with energy monitors, and householders will be helped to make sure their homes have adequate insulation. Solar hot water and air source heat pumps will be fitted to 20 homes.
• Halton, near Lancaster: Halton is looking to install a hydro turbine into the River Lune, and three solar roofs; and incorporate carbon saving measures in the renovation of Halton Mill, which will provide office and workshop space for local businesses.
• Exmoor National Park: Renewable energy projects include wood pellet heating and solar installations in six communities. One plans to install a hydropower turbine.
• Whitehill-Bordon, East Hampshire: Aims to build on it's eco town status by making the money available for people as loans.
• Ladock and Grampound Road, mid-Cornwall: Plans to upgrade homes, schools, community halls and businesses with a combination of energy efficiency measures and microgeneration technology.
• Ballymena, Northern Ireland: Intends to build a district heating network based on deep geothermal, biomass and residual heat technologies.
• Camphill Community, Glencraig, Northern Ireland: Plans to install a biomass district heating system using locally sourced wood.
• Cwmclydach, near Pontypridd, South Wales: Plans to install two small hydro turbines in the nearby Cambrian Country Park to power two community buildings.
• Awel Aman Tawe Community Wind Farm in Upper Amman and Swansea Valley, South Wales: Planning consent has been secured to put two wind turbines with a capacity of 4MW on the Mynydd y Gwrhyd mountain. This will generate enough electricity to supply 2000 homes. The community also plans to open a zero carbon cafe, allotments and a biodiesel pump.
• Glogue, Hermon and Llanfyrnach, nr Preselli Hills, Pembrokeshire, Wales: The money will fund two wind turbines.