Wednesday 23 April 2014

National Trust launches renewable energy trading firm

The National Trust has today launched a new renewable energy trading company that will sell electricity generated at the places it looks after.

The charity’s first large-scale hydro turbine (pictured) which has been installed at its Hafod y Llan farm in Snowdonia, Wales will be the first renewable energy scheme to sell electricity through National Trust (Renewable Energy) Ltd.

The hydro project is expected to generate 1,900MWh of energy every year – more electricity than needed to light up all of the National Trust places in Wales, including eight mansions, three castles and 45 holiday cottages.

The power produced – equivalent to powering around 445 homes - will be sold to green electricity supplier Good Energy, the Trust's energy partner and all of the money raised will be ploughed back into conservation projects.

Patrick Begg, Rural Enterprises Director at the National Trust said: “We’re lucky to be blessed with an abundance of natural resources that we look after for the benefit of the nation. Now with this new trading company we can harness some of the power generated by nature to help fund our conservation work.”

Last year the Trust launched a £3.5 million renewable energy pilot with Good Energy and has committed to reducing its energy use by 20%, halving fossil fuel consumption and generating 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.