Energy
Charities and landowners unite to cut carbon
The National Trust and sustainable energy charity Ashden have set up a new carbon cutting network to help charities and landowners limit their impact on climate change and avoid rising energy costs.
The Fit for the Future network aims to create a platform for people to share their experiences and learn from others. Members will work together to minimise their use of carbon. The initiative will help achieve the government’s target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.
Dame Helen Ghosh, director-general of the National Trust, said, “Our coastlines are crumbling and we are battling new pests, diseases, droughts and floods as a result of climate change. It’s a serious issue for us all.
“To tackle these issues, we’ve set ourselves ambitious targets to use 20 per cent less energy, halve our fossil fuel use and generate 50 per cent of our energy from renewable sources by 2020.”
Ghosh made headlines last month when she reportedly claimed the National Trust had an “open mind” about fracking. She later said the clarified that the charity supports technologies that “harvest nature” rather than mines it.
The National Trust’s renewable programme contains a variety of different solutions from marine source heat pump to biomass boiler to meet the challenges of cutting carbon.
The 100% renewable electricity supplier Good Energy is also involved in the project.
Over the last three years, the firm has topped the Which? satisfaction survey for three years. Recent comments also suggest that customers can lower their energy bills by switching to a renewable supplier.
The Fit for the Future network invites individuals and organisations to make pledges to work together to reduce their carbon footprint.
Howard Richings, head of estates management at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), made a pledge to “share practical solutions” to renewable energy projects, such as solar PV and water source heat pumps. These solutions are expected to save the charity £100,000 over the course of next year.
Further reading:
National Trust director-general reaffirms renewables commitment following fracking reaction
Good Energy customer on BBC Question Time: ‘my energy bills have never been cheaper’
National Trust plans ambitious renewable energy rollout