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Town points way to green future
A district of Huddersfield has won up to £500,000 in a Government competition which will see it become one of UK's first low carbon communities.
It is hoped that around 58 tonnes carbon could be saved each year as part of the challenge which will see low carbon technologies used to improve the energy efficiency in key buildings throughout the Hillhouse area.
Kirklees Council will receive money to pay for 35 traditional stone-built Yorkshire terraces to receive low-carbon makeovers.
Solar panels will also be installed on the Chinese, Clare Hill and Hudawi community centres, which will provide an income for the 1,500 residents in the community through a clean energy cashback scheme, due to be launched in April next year.
The council will carry out similar improvements in schools in the area and at Birkby Community Centre.
Hillhouse is one of the first 10 winning locations to benefit from a 10m fund as part of the Low Carbon Communities Challenge. It is the only project in Yorkshire to win in this round of handouts.
In return for technical and financial assistance, people living and working in Hillhouse will help the Government find low carbon solutions which could be used nationwide.
Those taking part had the opportunity to spend the money on items including community wind turbines, solar panels, or green transport projects to cut their emissions.
Last night Coun Mehboob Khan, the leader of Kirklees Council, said: "Kirklees' success in obtaining the Low Carbon Communities Challenge funding is a fantastic boost to our efforts to green and regenerate the area and to build upon community aspirations.
"The opportunity to improve some of the most hard-to-treat homes in our district and create a low carbon investment fund for the future will make a real difference to people's lives."
Around a quarter of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions come from heating, lighting and powering electrical appliances in homes. By 2050 this needs to be almost zero if the UK is to cut its emissions by 80 per cent.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) launched the competition to find communities keen to be at the forefront of moving to a low carbon economy.
Joan Ruddock, the Minister for Energy and Climate Change, said: "We've had more than 300 communities register their interest with the Low Carbon Communities Challenge, so there's a real appetite out there to save energy to help tackle global warming and save money on fuel bills.
"The 10 winning projects will now spend the money on things like community wind turbines, solar panels, heat pumps, insulation or green transport projects to cut emissions."
The Minister said communities like Hillhouse will help to develop the policies that are needed to ensure future to make the successful transition to a low carbon economy.
DECC is now looking for a further 12 communities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to take part in the next stage of the challenge.
The Government's clean energy cashback scheme, due to be launched in April, plans to reward those who generate their own electricity, through the use of solar panels, for example.
Ministers hope people will be encouraged to seek new ways of generating their own power.
Similar "clean energy cash back" schemes already operate in 19 European countries including Germany. But critics warn that such small-scale power is expensive.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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