Arun to launch Renewable Advice Service

Arun District Council won an Ashden Award in 2008 for their work on energy efficiency and renewable energy:

Now, using some of the prize money they received, they are preparing to launch their Renewable Advice Service.

This will provide free and independent advice to local residents who ant to reduce their carbon footprint and fuel bills. Information will be given on what technology will be most cost-effective, taking into account the features and location of the resident's home. The advice will include solar hot water, solar PV, wood-fired boilers and stoves, heat pumps (air, ground and water sourced) and small-scale wind turbines.

The advice service will officially start with a launch event in the Littlehampton Civic Centre on Wednesday 1st July 2009 from 4.30-7.30pm. Read more about it here

Click here to read the rest of this post.

Arun District Council rewarded with £15,000 for energy saving efforts

Arun’s Chairman accepted a cheque for £15,000 at a Full Council meeting after the Council finished runners up in the world’s leading green energy awards.

The Council was awarded the prize money for finishing second in the Local Authority category of the prestigious Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy back in June.

Councillor Ashvin Patel and Deputy Head of Environmental Health Roger Wood accepted the prize money, presented by Simon Brammer on behalf of the Ashden Awards, which will be used to expand the Council’s energy efficiency programme.
Cllr Patel said: “I am delighted to accept this cheque on behalf of the Council and its Environmental Health department in recognition of their achievements in energy saving.

“To be recognised as one of the leading authorities in the country when it comes to sustainable energy is an incredible achievement and one that deserves commending.

“I know that this money will be put to great use, improving our energy efficiency programme even further and ensuring that Arun continues to promote sustainable energy amongst its residents.”

Some of the prize money will be used to further promote the excellent services the Council already offers, while the rest will go towards developing a Renewable Energy Support Service.

This will offer information about the provision of sustainable energy for homes and businesses, in particular the use of solar energy and ground source heat pumps, a system that transfers heat from the ground into a building to heat the open spaces.

Councillor Paul Dendle, Cabinet Member for Central Services, said: “As a local authority we are under enormous pressure to tackle climate change while continuing to meet the needs of the community. This award shows what can be achieved with limited resources, thanks to the hard work of Council staff and our partner organisations and the willingness of our residents to make their properties more energy efficient.”

Roger Wood, Deputy Head of Environmental Health, added: “As the cost of fuel continues to soar, fuel poverty is going to be a growing issue. We already have an excellent system in place to bring affordable and sustainable energy efficiency to our residents, but the prize money will allow us to develop this service to the benefit of everyone who lives and works in the District.”

For more information about the Awards and the finalists, visit www.ashdenawards.org

Click here to read the rest of this post.

Video of Ashden Awards Imperial College seminar 2008

On 18 June 2008 the Ashden Awards and Imperial College held a seminar where the 2008 Awards finalists presented their work. The video of the event is now available to view online, as shown below. If you would like to view the slides separately, PDF files can be downloaded here.
Welcome and introduction to the day:
- Professor Sir Peter Knight, Principal of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College

Session 1: Stoves for cooking and industry
Chair: Dr Keith Pullen, Reader at City University and founder of Developing Technologies.

• Reuben Mtitu and John Mtitu (Kisangani Smith Group, Tanzania), Blacksmiths develop wood-saving stoves
• Milkyas Debebe (Gaia Association, Ethiopia), Clean, safe ethanol stoves for refugee homes
• Svati Bhogle (Technology Informatics Design Endeavour, India), Wood-saving stoves for small businesses in South India
• Questions

Session 2: Sustainable energy building local enterprise
Chair: Dr Keith Pullen, Reader at City University and founder of Developing Technologies.

• João Alderi do Prado (Cooperativa Regional de Eletrificação Rural do Alto Uruguai Ltda, Brazil), Cooperative uses mini hydro to increase electricity supply on local grid
• Angello Ndyaguma (Fruits of the Nile, Uganda), Solar drying business links rural farmers with export markets
• Questions

Session 3: Solar PV and beyond
Chair: Dr Jeremy Woods, Lecturer in Bioenergy, Imperial College

• NK Joshi (Aryavart Gramin bank, India), Bank helps customers to buy solar home systems
• Luo Xinlian and Wang Wei (Renewable Energy Development Programme, China), Building the solar PV industry in China
• Dipal Barua (Grameen Shakti, Bangladesh), Rapidly growing solar installer provides clean cooking as well
• Questions

Session 4: Local authorities and schools
Chair: Dr Anne Wheldon, Technical Director, the Ashden Awards

• Roger Wood (Arun District Council, West Sussex), District council brings energy efficiency throughout its operations
• Alan Jones (Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire), Continually improving efficiency in a large housing stock
• Questions
• Stephen Green, Kathy Stonier and pupils (Ringmer Community College, East Sussex), Secondary pupil-led commitment to managing energy
• Emma Lacey, Joe Johnson and pupils (Sandhills Primary School, Oxford), Sustainable energy throughout the culture and curriculum of a primary school
• Questions

Session 5: Businesses and charities
Chair: Dr Anne Wheldon, Technical Director, the Ashden Awards

• Richard Freeborn (Kensa, Cornwall), Design and manufacture of heat pumps for easy installation
• Ian Draisey (Dulas, Powys, Wales), Diverse renewable energy services from employee-owned business
• Questions
• Trewin Restorick (Global Action Plan, London), Bringing energy efficiency to the workplace and beyond
• Liz Marquis and Michael Carr (Energy Agency, Ayrshire, Scotland), Using a community wind fund to improve energy efficiency of homes
• Questions

Click here to read the rest of this post.