More and more people want to reduce their domestic carbon footprint and enjoy lower energy bills, but how do you make a start?
This month a Green Open Homes event being staged across the whole of Wiltshire will be an opportunity to ask local homeowners about the energy-saving improvements they’ve made, and see if the changes might work for you. Visiting someone's home is a great way to find out about the reality of getting solar panels, insulation, triple glazing or new heating options without having to deal with a salesperson. You can see the technology in action, ask the residents whether the installation was a hassle, and find out how much they’re really saving on their energy bills as a result.
Alternatively, if you’ve already made some improvements yourself and you’d be happy to share your experience with others, then Green Open Homes is also a great opportunity for you to help someone decide how they might like to go about it.
Visits can either be in-person or virtual via WhatsApp and slots are usually around 45 minutes. Participating homes are advertised on the national Green Open Homes website (www.greenopenhomes.net) with a brief description of the green improvements they’ve made and prospective visitors contact the hosts directly via email to book a slot. It couldn’t be simpler.
The event is being coordinated by the Wiltshire Climate Alliance and if you’re interested in taking part, either by visiting a home or hosting a few sessions, please get in touch with the WCA at goh@wiltshireclimatealliance.org.uk (copied to us at admin@nadderce.org.uk). They’ll be delighted to hear from you.
Solar Power for Schools – Our Third Share Offer
I may have said this before - but we at Nadder Community Energy (NCE) are about to embark on our next big installation project, Solar Power for Schools. We are hoping to put solar panels on the roofs of six schools in the Sherborne Area Schools Trust (SAST), two in Shaftesbury, three in Sherborne and one in Wincanton. All in all about 300kW worth of clean, green power to be added to the nearly 600kW of solar installations we’re already operating on the roofs of schools, farms and commercial buildings in and around the Nadder Valley.
To do this we are looking to raise £315,000 in the next three months through a new offer of shares in Nadder Community Energy’s third equity distribution. Anyone aged 16 or over can participate for as little as £100 (or as much £50,000) and the target interest rate is a very competitive 5% per annum from the second year onwards. Invested capital is returned in equal annual portions from the third year onwards, and fully returned by the fifteenth year.
The SAST schools will benefit from cheaper electricity bills, meaning more money for learning. NCE will earn a percentage from the sale of solar power which will be used to fund initiatives of benefit to the community. And the planet will have a slightly better chance of reaching Net Zero before it's too late. So, it’s shaping up to be a win-win-win for all concerned.
If you or someone you know might be interested in investing in a truly ethical enterprise with laudable aims and credentials, then you can find full details including a risk analysis and an application form on our website at www.nadderce.org.uk. Our previous two share offers were extremely popular and we’re expecting a lot of interest in this third one. Applications will be on a first come, first served basis. So, whether you’re young or old, or somewhere in between, it’s a great chance to participate in a project that will not only benefit today’s children, but also generations to come.
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