Energy

Transition Black Isle’s Energy group is pursuing ways of reducing our use of energy, and switching away from fossil fuels to renewable sources.  We are currently trying to develop a project whereby the money available through the Energy Company Obligation can be channelled to qualifying houses on the Black Isle which are in fuel poverty. It is hoped that this project may also cover help for other householders and businesses too. If you would like to join the energy group please ring 01463 731393 or email food@transitionblackislse.org

Energy news

September 2020

Changeworks Autumn reminder

From Changeworks /Home Energy Scotland  September 2019 newsletter

Changeworks continues to deliver low carbon living across Scotland. Despite the ongoing challenging circumstances, it is vital we still do what we can to support our fragile environment.

To help you get ahead of the autumn chill, we’ve pulled together useful resources to ensure you have a warm home this winter. Download our advice sheet on draught proofing, watch our video on applying draughtproofing measures and read our blog with four easy tips to make your home more energy efficient.

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May 2020

Covid19-related news from the Greener Energy Group

The Greener Energy Group are a business engaged in advising on all kinds of renewable energy for the home, and supplying and installing appropriate systems.  Trading somewhat on the Covid-19 crisis, they have circulated an email pointing to the reduction in air pollution resulting from the reduced use of fossil fuels by transport and industry, and highlight this as a reason for installing greener home heating systems such as air source heat pumps.

Read the heat pumps email

Greener Energy Group website

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January 2020  Changeworks/Home Energy Scotland  news

Now that 2020 is here, what will you do this year to tackle the climate emergency in your everyday life?  Yes, we need Governments and corporations to do their part, but we all have a role to play in reducing the amount of carbon that we use.  To inspire you, we’ve created blog posts full of practical advice.

• Four easy tips to make your home energy efficient
• Top tips to reduce how much food you waste
• How climate-friendly shopping habits help the planet
• Going green when getting around
• A little less meat goes a long way
• Greening your workplace – it’s easier than you think!

Read the full newsletter  for these blogs and lots of other useful information and links.

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From Changeworks /Home Energy Scotland  July 2019 newsletter

Making a house an energy efficient home

Who among us hasn’t fantasised about building our dream house, overlooking the beach, and cutting our carbon footprint at the same time? Well for Changeworks’ Jo Hobbett, Change Works in Burntisland Senior Project Officer, she and her partner Alan made that a reality.

Over the past three and a half years, Jo and Alan have been pouring all their spare time into a new home. Built in the garden of their previous house, an old Victorian tearoom, their new home is an energy-efficient oasis of calm down by the beach on the Fife riviera.

Read the full story

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Current projects are:

Greening Homes & Gardens

We have held a couple of Greening Homes and Gardens events ourselves and for the last couple of years linked with the Energy Saving Trust Scotland's Green Homes Network. Recently they have been using a minibus to take interested council staff around a variety of houses using 'Green' technologies so that people can speak to householders who have installed them first hand. Any other organisation wishing to do this should contact them. If you have installed renewable technologies which you would be happy to talk about you can also register your home through their website.
At Green Homes events local householders open their homes to the public to demonstrate the practical use of renewables for domestic heating and electricity generation, and ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by composting and vegetable growing. The hub for the event in 2009 was Munlochy Village Hall, where around 300 people attended to pick up maps showing the open properties, and to see stalls set up by local renewable energy companies.
After the success of the first one, a second Greening Homes and Gardens Day was held on 11th September 2010, with a similar format.   This time the hub was Findon Hall, Culbokie, and again it was a great success.

Smart Meters

With funding from the Climate Challenge Fund, we have bought a number of electric “Smart Meters” which are available to lend to householders wanting to use them to reduce their electricity consumption. The meters are loaned out for three month periods, and participants encouraged to share experiences. Participants have found these helped them reduce their electricity consumption by up to 50%. They are currently available for loan at the community markets.
We have also linked up with schools such as Tarradale Primary, who are using the 32 meters we obtained for schools and specially designed work cards to monitor their home energy use as part of their science curriculum – this means many local households each year are using one of the meters to investigate their electricity usage.

Anemometer
We have an anemometer available for anyone thinking of installing a small wind turbine. Contact food@transitionblackisle.org if interested.

Other ideas

There are any number of the other possible projects, it would be great to hear from anyone with a new idea and some time to help put it into action.