Free solar water heating for lower North Belfast community groups

NIE Energy
10 August 2010 - 11:09am
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Tagged as:

• Community development
• Funding

Lord Mayor and North Belfast Councillor Pat Convery joins NIE Energy's Gwyneth Compston to launch the solar water heating scheme

NIE Energy is planning to give ten community groups in the lower North Belfast area a free solar water heating system, in total worth £50,000.

Designed to help groups in the area reduce their energy bills and improve their eco friendly credentials, the scheme has a fund of £50,000 to provide solar water heating systems to ten lucky local community groups. The package on offer includes the cost of the actual solar water heating system as well as installation.

Launching the scheme, Gwyneth Compston of NIE Energy said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for community groups in the lower North Belfast area who would like to take advantage of renewable energy, but who maybe don’t have the finances to allow them to consider it seriously as an option.  It would be especially useful for groups who use a lot of hot water as a solar water heating system is capable of providing up to 60% of hot water needs every year.

“By harnessing the power of solar energy to provide hot water for community facilities, successful community groups will enjoy savings off their energy bills in the long term and NIE Energy hopes that the savings will mean that more resources will be put towards activities that are of direct benefit to the local community. 

“I would encourage community groups who are actively involved in the lower North Belfast area to get in touch with NIE Energy to find out if they qualify and if so, to submit an application for the scheme.”    

Welcoming the scheme, Lord Mayor of Belfast and North Belfast Councillor Pat Convery added: “We are fortunate in lower North Belfast to have many groups that do excellent work and make a real difference in the community.  However with most of these groups operating on tight budgets, it is important to make savings where possible and the NIE Energy Solar Scheme offers a very good opportunity to do just that. 

“I hope that all eligible groups in the area will apply for the scheme and look forward to seeing the local community benefiting from the new solar water heating systems in due course.”

Solar water heating works best on a south facing roof and community groups must either own their own premises or have permission from their landlord to erect solar water heating.  This fund is part of a commitment made by NIE Energy as part of a deal to buy electricity output from the North Foreshore landfill site, which provides sufficient electricity to power up to 6,000 homes and is all produced from waste.   

Organisations in the lower North Belfast area who are interested in applying for the NIE Energy Solar Scheme should contact Gwyneth Compston at NIE Energy gwyneth.compston@nieenergy.co.uk or Tel: 028 90 685 029 for details on the terms and conditions of the scheme.  Applications will be welcome until 31st August 2010.