Green Energy
Green Energy
ScottishPower offers several Green Energy products for domestic and business customers, and continues to generate major benefits for the environment and for communities. We have recently been awarded a Business in the Community Big Tick for tackling climate change through green energy marketing in 2007.
Over recent years we have supported those business customers who have a distinct requirement and robust targets to reduce carbon emissions. We are now one of the leading companies supplying Green climate change levy (CCL) exempt electricity to both the Public Sector and large Retail organisations.
For our Business Green Source offer, over 160 large organisations have purchased green energy representing around 20,400 sites across Great Britain. The total consumption for these organisations was 2.2 TWh (2006/07) – maintaining our competitive performance from the previous year. Our Green Source customers include Scottish Water, the Authorities Buying Consortium (ABC), the Co-op Group, Debenhams and the Scottish Executive.
Domestic tariffs include Green Energy H20, which is linked to our hydro generation, and Green Energy Fund, which contributes the £10.50 annual discount normally given to Dual Fuel customers to the ScottishPower Green Energy Trust. Established in 1998, the independent charitable Green Energy Trust offers grants to a wide range of projects that will increase our use and knowledge of renewable energy.
To date, the Trust has provided funding of over £814,000 to 79 community based projects, many of which would not have gone ahead otherwise. As the objectives of the Trust require projects to promote education, we now have 79 projects across the UK that are teaching others about the benefits of renewable energy.
During the year 2006/07, the ScottishPower Green Energy Trust awarded funding totalling £127,744 to 11 projects including:
- New Cumnock Swimming Pool
Funding of £20,964An outdoor swimming pool in one of the most deprived villages in Scotland was awarded funding to install a modular condensing boiler rig and heat pump system.
The local swimming pool is one of the most important facilities in New Cumnock, particularly to young people, however it had closed it to the public.
With the help of ScottishPower’s Green Energy Trust, the new owners NERV have been able to carry out extensive renovations to the swimming pool and its surrounds. The new heating system will greatly reduce the financial strain of heating and maintaining the water temperature of the pool, and will send a positive message to the local community about the use of renewable technology.
- St Mary’s Church, Lidgate
Funding of £6,000St Mary’s Church lies in the heart of a village with a population of 200. Facing essential repairs and increasing fuel costs, it was decided that the church would look at sources of power that would look after the environment as well as meeting their needs.
The Trust gave a £6,000 grant towards the cost of fitting an array of solar panels behind the parapet of the conservation village’s church tower.
Alison McKean, Head of Environment at ScottishPower and a Trustee of the Green Energy Trust, said: “We are delighted the trust has been able to assist with this project. Not only do the solar panels reduce the church’s fuel bills, but also they provide a working illustration of sustainable energy use. We are especially pleased the project will enable more of the local community to use the church outside of regular worship.
“ScottishPower leads the way in promoting renewable energy schemes and is directly involved, through the Green Energy Trust, in funding dozens of similar projects in communities throughout the UK.
“The great enthusiasm with which the people of Lidgate have greeted this project sets a good example of how the latest technology can be used for the good of the environment and the community”.
It is hoped that the solar panels will help prevent the church from deteriorating by keeping the building heated for longer.
Other projects awarded funding include:
- Lower Moor Farm Visitor Centre, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Funding of £7,792Received a grant to help pay for a solar thermal hot water and automated wood pellet stove. The official opening was attended by HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.
- Furniture Matters
Funding of £25,000A recycling, re-use and training charity in Morecambe, Lancashire, is to install a wind turbine to meet half of its electricity consumption. The organisation collects unwanted office and household goods, which require operational testing thereby consuming substantial amounts of electricity.
- Dudley Environmental Zone
Funding of £7,791.50The project aims to promote education in the community on renewable energy generation. Funding was given to assist with the installation of a 6 kW turbine to generate energy for the Environmental Zone.
