Green energy to slash heating bills
Scores of council tenants will see their energy bills fall dramatically after having solar panels fitted to the roofs of their properties.
More than 120 bungalows owned by Ashfield District Council have had the panels fitted, allowing electricity to be generated.
The energy is then free for tenants to use to power their homes while any unused electricity is stored in a battery pack, also supplied as part of the scheme, and able to be used when needed.
This green energy is not only helping the environment by reducing carbon-emissions but is also making tenants’ homes less dependent upon the electricity network.
Audrey Garner is one of those to benefit. She’s had the panels fitted at her bungalow in Kirkby in Ashfield.
She said: “All the people working on site have been amazing. We did think about not having it done but after ADC staff came and explained the benefits, we decided to go ahead. It will be great to save on our power bills and this as far as I am concerned is the best way to do it.”
The scheme was jointly funded by ADC, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and Nottingham City Council via the East Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority.
Cllr Tom Hollis, Deputy Leader and Executive Lead for Strategic Housing & Climate Change, said:
“There are so many benefits to a scheme like this - generating renewable, clean energy through solar power and also helping our tenants save money.
“We know energy bills can be a real concern for many people but for these tenants, that worry has been eased considerably thanks to their homes now helping generate the electricity they use.
“We will continue to work on obtaining further grants and funding options to help lower our carbon footprint and support more tenants across the district, as we work towards a cleaner and greener Ashfield.”
The panels were installed through a partnership between Green Gnomes and Rothwell Plumbing Services (RPS).
RPS chief executive, Graham Rothwell, said:
“We are a family-owned business established for 35 years, and we specialise in delivering energy efficiency projects across social housing. It’s been fantastic to work with Ashfield on this scheme - which will see homes across the area benefit from Renewable Energy installations.
“We worked closely with Ashfield’s delivery team and have been able to deliver quality installations to the properties. As a result of the project, we’ve also been able to create two employment opportunities and work with the community team at Homesteads Community Centre to fund and install a solar panel system that will benefit local users.
“It’s fantastic to see the council taking action to support tenants and contribute to the Net Zero agenda that will directly benefit the local community.”
