Marches LEP delighted by success of green scheme

The success of a pioneering project aimed at reducing carbon emissions and tackling fuel poverty should pave the way for similar projects across the region, the chief executive of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership said today.

Rachel Laver says she is delighted that the Marches LEP-funded scheme – to install green energy systems into 68 existing homes and a further 11 new builds – has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

The Wrekin Housing Group partnered with Telford-based renewable energy and battery specialists AceOn Group and electrical distributors BEW on the scheme which has been nominated for climate change retrofit project of the year at the Inside Housing Development Awards.

The project has seen the installation of solar panels, inverters and 7kWh batteries to allow the homes to capture solar energy and then store it in the most efficient and environmentally-friendly way for later use.

Rachel said: “We’re delighted with the success of the project and hope that the pilot enables similar schemes to be delivered across the region.

“It is a brilliant example of how we can become more energy independent while reducing fuel poverty and cutting carbon emissions.  This scheme alone is expected to lead to a 1,678,750 kWh reduction in energy consumption off the grid and a 720 tonne reduction in carbon dioxide over a 10-year period.

“We see this very much as a signal of our intention to establish the Marches as an innovative low carbon area. The LEP is focussed on helping bring pioneering new ways of meeting Net Zero to market and ensuring we benefit from the new jobs and opportunities that new technology will bring.

“That is why we have recently launched our £4million Energy Fund, to help fast-track into production some of the incredible work going on across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to combat climate change.”

The Wrekin Housing Group said some of its tenants had seen monthly bills cut by as much as 75 per cent as a result of the project, which received £1million from the LEP through the Getting Building Fund.

The project has also established a new national training programme to upskill the existing workforce and train apprentices in battery storage installation, with Telford College becoming the first college in the country to pilot and roll out the training.

Rachel added: “It is particularly pleasing to see that these training courses are selling out and that our investment in this project will be repaid over and over again as these new skills are put to use by a new generation of specialists in the coming years.