06 May 2008 14:42
Devon eco-centre gets a funding boost from E.ON for bio fuel energy project

Energy company E.ON has given a £30,000 grant under its new SOURCE community initiative towards the cost of installing a renewable energy woodchip boiler at the Slapton Ley Field Centre in Kingsbridge, Devon.

The field centre attracts thousands of visitors each year who enjoy a range of educational and environmental opportunities, from guided walks to week-long residential courses, and also manages the Slapton Ley Nature Reserve in partnership with the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The cash will be used to help pay for the design and installation of a 100kW woodchip boiler.

Tony Jenkin Jones, Community Relations Executive with E.ON, said: "We're delighted to be able to contribute towards this exciting project for The Slapton Ley Field Centre as part of our new SOURCE scheme, which is designed to help community groups get their sustainable energy projects off the ground.

"They're looking to replace their existing oil boiler with woodchip technology in order to reduce their carbon emissions, to minimise their impact on the environment, and to make significant cost savings."

The project will provide a demonstration of how alternative energy can be used as an integral part of residential accommodation through educational visits and public open days.

The automated woodchip boiler will provide both heating and hot water for four existing buildings on the centre grounds, including classrooms and accommodation facilities.

It is expected that the woodchip boiler system will save the emission of up to 53 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, as well as helping to support the development of the woodchip industry in South Devon.

Andrew Pratt, Head of the Slapton Ley Field Centre, said: "The funding we've been given by E.ON means we'll be able to immediately reduce our personal carbon footprint enormously, as well as support the local economy and encourage sustainable woodland management.

"The woodchip boiler system will provide a valuable hands-on educational resource for students of all ages, as well as proving that an environmentally friendly lifestyle is within reach for us all."

E.ON, one of the UK's leading green electricity generators, launched its SOURCE fund in 2007 to help with the costs of sustainable energy projects for community buildings.

The fund is backed up by the SOURCE website, which provides information and advice for community groups seeking to become more energy efficient or generate their own energy from sustainable sources.

The website, which contains full details of how to apply for a grant, can be accessed at www.eon-uk.com/source.

The next deadline for applications for funding is Friday 3^rd October, 2008.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• The SOURCE fund is available until the end of 2008 and the closing date for applications is Friday 3 October, 2008;
• E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas - and is part of the E.ON group, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. We employ around 17,000 people in the UK;
• E.ON is the new name for Powergen. Our retail business is a leading energy supplier in the UK, with around 8 million electricity and gas customer accounts, covering domestic, SME and industrial. E.ON offers central heating and boiler care through its Home Energy Services business;
• We're one of the leading green generators in the UK, with 21 wind farms located from Cornwall to Northern Ireland. We also burn biomass material mixed with coal in two of our power stations and have recently opened the UK's largest dedicated biomass power station at Lockerbie. Combined, our renewable portfolio generates enough green energy to power the homes in a city the size of Manchester;
• We plan to spend £1bn on new renewables in the next five years, including new onshore and offshore wind, new biomass and wave and tidal power;
• Our target is to cut the carbon released by each kW of electricity we generate by 10% between 2005-2012, having already reduced it by 20% since 1990;
• We have 1,300MW of renewable capacity under development;
• We invested £53 million in energy efficiency in 2006. These measures included loft and cavity wall insulation, installation of energy efficient boilers and smart metering, a technology we are investing a further £12 million in over the next two years.

For further information contact:

Deanna Mooney on 024 7618 3678

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