Project Green
Energy was finally completed in May, pretty much on schedule for both
cost and project time scales. In fact the power generation part of the
project by the use of renewable sources was generating power and selling
it to the national grid in April.
In the first month we have generated 540 units with an income of over
£240. Project Green Energy is the
name given to the collective actions taken to reduce the carbon
footprint created by the Village Hall.
The other part of the project, to use less energy in the running
of the Hall, will show benefits during the colder months ahead.
At the centre of the village, the Hall is extensively used all the year
round with approx 20 different groups using the facilities and we expect
that these groups will benefit from the project as well as the
environment.
In 2010 the Hall committee commissioned an audit carried out by
actonenergy to understand
areas of opportunities there may be to reduce energy consumption.
The primary areas highlighted for improvement were the old
inefficient oil boiler and the loft insulation thickness.
The old oil boiler is no more, having now been replaced by a Gas
boiler and the loft insulation is now boosted to10inch thick.
Looking at the power generating part of the project, this is a project
that took less than 2 days to install and will provide an income through
continuous power generation for 25years.
What has physically been done to the Village Hall is to fix 22
Solar PV panels to the south facing roof, and it is these that convert
the solar light into energy.
We are very grateful to various organisations for the grant support we
have received:·
- Grant support
for the energy reduction activities from Rugby Borough Council and
The Veolia Environmental Trust.·
-
For the Renewable energy
generation from the Big Lottery Community Sustainable Energy
Programme.
This has been a very
interesting and valuable project with plenty of further potential within
the village, to that end there is an
Open
Evening
in the Village Hall on Wednesday 22nd
June 7pm – 9pm when there will be a chance to
discuss what has been done with the installers and the committee.
