Help keep out New Year chill with council heating efficiency grant

RESIDENTS of West Somerset feeling the chill in the New Year are being urged to take advantage of a newly-launched scheme to help them with keeping their homes warm.
The Warm Streets programme is just one of a number of grant and discount schemes available to help residents to heat their homes more efficiently while saving money.
West Somerset Council housing portfolio holder Councillor Kate Kravis said: “We help fund Warm Streets because it directly benefits people who need to make savings and heat their homes effectively.
“Homeowners and privately-renting tenants can get free cavity wall and, in many cases, loft insulation if they are over the age of 70 or in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
“Qualifying benefits include disability living allowance and attendance allowance.
“Householders over 60 and families with children under 16 with low savings and income of less than £20,000 before tax may also be entitled to free measures through a council grant.
“Discounts often apply for households who do not qualify for free installation.
“It is an excellent scheme, and we hope people will ’phone to see if the team can help.”
Warm Streets manager Helen Richardson said: “Insulating your walls and roof can make a dramatic difference to both your fuel bills and the comfort of your home. An uninsulated house will lose approximately 35 per cent of its heat through its walls and 25 per cent of its heat straight through the roof.”
Other grants and discounts, such as Warm Front, Warm Front 300, and the Magic Boiler Scheme, are also available to help fund the installation of heating or repairs to existing systems.
Anybody who wants more information on any of the above schemes, or other energy-related matters, should contact the South West Energy Saving Trust advice centre on 0800 512 012.
Its team of advisers can help people access a range of local and national energy efficiency grants and discounts as well as offering free, impartial advice on how to reduce fuel bills through low-cost and no-cost measures.

Council partnership ofers discounted solar panel water heating

A PARTNERSHIP has been formed between West Somerset Council, Climate Energy, and Eco-Exmoor to ensure that providing homes with hot water will not cost the earth.
The partnership is offering grants of up to £900 toward the costs of installing domestic solar hot water systems.
The scheme aims to benefit the environment by harnessing the sun’s rays for domestic hot water, and to bring down fuel bills for homeowners in West Somerset.
A council spokesman said, “As a council, one of our corporate priorities is to protect the environment for future generations.
“This grant funding is available to all local homeowners, regardless of income.
“Applicants are not means tested and we are encouraging people to apply now, so that they can reap the rewards this summer.
“We are currently living through times of erratic fuel supplies and solar panels reduce our dependency on foreign fuel providers.
“It also keeps money in the local economy.
“We would like to run this scheme again in future, so we need this year’s grants to be used to demonstrate a need for more funding.”
The partnership can provide £500 toward the installation costs and can potentially attract a further £400 from the Department of Trade and Industry’s low carbon building programme which, when combined, can reduce the overall price by 35 per cent.
One resident, Roger Thomas, of Alcombe, who has had solar panels fitted by Eco-Exmoor under the scheme, said: “I only had the system installed in December and it is already working and heating water in the boiler.
“Previously, I saw my gas bill going up and up and I thought it was just getting silly.
“I reckon that with the panels, I will be making real savings from the end of March until the end of October.”
Andy Barrett, from Eco Exmoor, said: “Our systems use the highest quality components and they are guaranteed for 10 years by an independent underwriter.
“All of our installers are accredited, vetted, and monitored, so our customers can have full peace of mind.
“Domestic solar hot water is an excellent way in which householders can help protect the environment while saving money.
“Households can slash their carbon emissions by three-quarters of a ton every year, as well as reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
“It is an excellent alternative for householders who live in areas that are not on mains gas.”
More information on the scheme is available by calling free on 0800 0966356 or visiting http://www.eco-exmoor.com/.

• Our photograph shows Andy Barrett (left) and Roger Thomas outside a property fitted with solar panels. Photo submitted.

Bird charity backs Minehead reef as greenest option for Severn Estuary tidal power

A CORNISH company’s plan to build a ‘tidal reef’ from Minehead to Wales has won the backing of charity the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
Engineering firm Joseph Evans and Sons Ltd, of Launceston, has proposed a 12-mile ‘Severn Tidal Reef’ (illustrated, right, and below) as an alternative to a 10-mile barrage from Weston-super-Mare to Cardiff.
The RSPB asked engineering consultancy Atkins to look at the feasibility of a ‘greener’ alternative to the barrage.
Now, the Atkins study has shown a reef a would be less damaging to the environment, would generate more power than a barrage, and would also be cheaper to build.
It found a reef would hold back about 6 ft 6 in of water without altering tidal patterns as much as would a barrage.
The Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare barrage is claimed to be able to generate 17,000GW of clean energy each year, equivalent to nearly five per cent of the UK’s electricity needs.
However, the research for the RSPB concluded the reef would produce 20,000GW of electricity while also costing about £2 billion less to construct.
Both the barrage and the reef would generate electricity as water flowed through turbines, but the reef would not hold back the full height of the tide as would a barrage.
The reef would also generate electricity for longer periods than the barrage, making it better able to meet peak demand times for electricity.
The RSPB said it preferred a reef because it would keep intact most of the estuary’s bird feeding grounds, while its slower-moving turbines would reduce danger to migrating salmon and eels.
Evans and Co owner Rupert Evans said: “It is much more in tune to the way the estuary works.
“Its construction would mean far less road traffic because of rail connections, and would require less material and cost significantly less than other tidal options or nuclear power.
“It is a compromise which works, it is considerably more efficient than tidal stream turbines but does not have the environmental impact that great monolithic barrages have.”
RSPB conservation director Mark Avery said: “The Government must crack the problem of how to use the Severn’s tidal power without harming its wildlife.
“We already know a Cardiff-Weston barrage would cost far more than almost any other form of green energy and seriously damage sites protected by law.
“A tidal reef could reign in that damage, cost the taxpayer much less, and be built more quickly.”
Professor Rod Rainey, who prepared the report for the RSPB, said: “We believe this scheme could be more powerful but less costly than other plans being put forward, particularly the Cardiff to Weston barrage.”
The Government and the Welsh Assembly began a feasibility study into harnessing the estuary’s tidal power in January, and consultation is expected to begin next year on which projects should be shortlist.
Ten schemes are being looked at, which include conventional barrages, tidal fences, tidal lagoons, and a tidal reef.
A group of 10 environmental organisations has been opposing the idea of a barrage because they believe renewable energy could be generated more cheaply using other technology.

Campaign to lobby for alternative tidal energy schemes

A SURVEY has found many people in the Westcountry were unaware of proposals to build a tidal barrage across the Severn Estuary.
A huge 37 per cent of people said they were ‘totally unaware’ of the plans to create a tidal power-generating barrage from the Somerset coast to Wales.
A vast majority of those questioned - 85 per cent - were unaware such a barrage would generate power for less than six hours a day.
Only one-quarter believed that the extra cost of a barrage - almost 10 times as much as a new coal-fired power station - would be worth the expenditure.
The findings came from an independent survey commissioned by organisations and individuals campaigning to persuade the Government to focus on alternative tidal energy schemes in the estuary.
They believe plans for a barrage across the entire estuary from the Westcountry to Wales should be abandoned due to the high economic and environmental impact - already highlighted in a recent report from Frontier Economics.
The campaigners are also extremely concerned that a barrage, despite its expense, would not provide a secure power supply to the region because it would only generate power for six hours a day.
They support a range of alternatives, such as wind farms at sea, lagoons, or a tidal reef from Minehead to Wales as suggested by a Cornish engineering firm, Joseph Evans and Sons Ltd.
Over the next few months the Stop the Barrage NOW campaign will lobby to persuade the Government and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) that a barrage is not economically or environmentally viable.
Campaigners want any form of barrage to be excluded from a shortlist of proposals to generate renewable energy from the Severn, due to be published later this month.
Stuart Ballard, chairman of Save Our Severn, which supports the Stop the Barrage NOW campaign, said: “Very little has been done to tell the public in the Westcountry about the plans for a Severn Barrage, even though it would have a massive impact on the region.
“We want to inform the public and ensure that there is a proper debate about the consequences of building a barrage across the Severn Estuary.
“While people are generally in favour of renewable energy, they clearly believe the cost of a barrage is too high.
“And despite its cost, a barrage will not provide a secure power supply for the region - it will need to be supported by ‘conventional’ power stations.
“Businesses and the public need to understand the potential impact of a barrage, and if they are concerned, they need to make their voices heard now, before any more taxpayers’ money is spent.
“While we totally support the need to explore and develop more sustainable forms of energy, we believe that there are more elegant ways of generating tidal power from the Severn.”
More information is available from the Stop the Barrage NOW website at http://www.stopthebarrage.com/.
Research carried out by Frontier Economics on behalf of 10 environmental groups, including the National Trust, the RSPB, and the WWF, found a barrage would destroy almost 86,486 acres of highly protected wetlands.
A study by the Sustainable Development Commission concluded a barrage in the Severn Estuary would result in the loss of up to 75 per cent of the existing intertidal habitat, which is internationally protected.
The Government is currently carrying out a feasibility study into renewable energy possibilities in the Severn Estuary with 10 schemes under consideration, including four barrage proposals - Brean Down, near Weston- super-Mare, to Lavernock Point, near Cardiff; Minehead to Aberthaw; and Aust to Beachley.
A short list of the proposed options is due to be drawn up this month.
A barrage will generate power for only 23 per cent of the day during two irregular periods, according to the Sustainable Development Commission’s report Turning the Tide: Tidal Power in the UK, 2007.
The costs of a Severn barrage are currently estimated to be £20 billion.
In comparison, two conventional power stations generating the same amount of power (17 terawatt hours) would cost £3 billion - 15 per cent of the cost of a barrage.

Severn Estuary reef 'greener and more powerful' than barrage plan

AN alternative to proposals for an energy generating barrage across the Severn Estuary has been put forward by a Cornwall company which instead wants to build a ‘Severn Tidal Reef’ from Minehead to Aberthaw, in Wales.
The new scheme (illustrated, right, and below) is being promoted as a ‘totally new concept in tidal power generation’, by Joseph Evans and Sons Ltd, of Launceston.
Company owner Rupert Evans said the 12-mile reef plan was a ‘greener’ alternative a proposed 10-mile barrage between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare.
Mr Evans said construction of the reef would not harm birds, fish, or shipping movements and would ensure fish species were unharmed by allowing safe passage through its proposed wind turbines.
The scheme is among 10 projects which the Government is assessing in an ongoing feasibility study into Severn Estuary tidal power.
Mr Evans said: “The reef was designed specifically to not harm the environment.
“I am even confident a canoeist would be able to pass through the turbines unhurt as they are slow moving and large.
“The reef is not being opposed by the Stop the Barrage Campaign or the various fishery groups because it is specifically designed so as not to cause damage to birds, fish, or to hinder shipping.
“The Severn Tidal Reef Project is a totally new concept in tidal power generation with the prospect of being environmentally benign.”
Mr Evans said the reef would generate as much, or even more, electricity than the Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare barrage.
It would include low visual impact and disruption, reduced risks of flooding, and maximum power generation.
“Unlike other monolithic tidal barrages designed to hold back the full height of the tide - the second highest in the world - the reef works with only two metres of fall but ‘slices off’ the power over a much longer generation period that is much easier to match to the peaks in electricity demand,” said Mr Evans.
“The full range of the tide is harnessed by a large number of simple low-head turbines along the 12-mile route.
“Massive, yes, but more economical in materials than the barrage or the ‘lagoon’ proposal, on account of the shape of the structure and very low pressure difference.
“The small difference in level between the sea and the estuary is critical when it comes to shipping, which can pass through opening sections of the reef on their way up to Avonmouth, a port in the midst of a massive redevelopment plan to accommodate the latest generation of container ships, and where any delays can be very expensive.
“The small difference in level also facilitates the safe passage of salmon and other fish through the special turbines, something that is not possible with conventional turbines with their high pressure drop and sharp-edged high-speed runners (rotors).
“Another unique feature is the ‘Active Tidal Control System’ that would allow the modification of the high water levels from tide to tide.
“A sophisticated computer system would know what high tide, even storm surge, was expected, and optimise the power extraction or free flow of water through the barrage to best meet the peaks in power demand, meet the navigation depth requirements for particular ships, and protect the wildlife and habitats by obtaining the right degree of variation in water levels.”

Micro generation grants are now open

THE Building Research Establishment which administers grants on behalf of the Government, has just announced the launch of a new open grants programme as an award from the Big Lottery Fund.
The programme will provide £8m for the installation of micro-generation technologies and energy efficiency measures by community based organisations and £1m for project development grants.
Whilst project development grants will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis the capital grants will be awarded on a competitive basis determined by quarterly selection panels.
Grants will be made to not-for-profit-organisations which will now allow applications by Parish Councils.
This new scheme reinforces the existing grants but uniquely seeks to combine micro-generation of energy with energy efficiency measures.
Edwin Beckett, Chairman of the Exmoor Trust, warmly welcomed this announcement which adds to the emphasis which the Trust is giving to the advantages for the communities of Exmoor of sustainable energy.
He said: “The capital grants available under this scheme are considerable – up to £50,000 or 50 per cent whichever is lower.
“Even the project development grants offer up to £5,000 or 75 per cent whichever is lower.
“However there are downsides for systems producing electricity as they want a fairly large output. “There is also a complex application process but the principle benefit appears to be that all production systems have a level playing field.”
Archie McIntyre, who is arranging the Energy for Exmoor event on 2 May at Ralegh’s Cross Inn, is confident that communities seeking more information or clarification about this new grant scheme will be able to get advice from experts.
He added: “The Exmoor Trust has produced a guide to funds available to support the installation of micro-generation systems which will be available at two identical sessions starting at 9 am and 2 pm.
People wishing to guarantee the session of their choice should pre-register on www.exmoortrust.org.uk.

Micro-energy ideas for Exmoor businesses and residents

A SEMINAR is being organised for people and businesses on Exmoor to examine opportunities for producing local energy.
The Exmoor Trust is holding its E4Exmoor - Energy for Exmoor - event at the Ralegh's Cross Hotel, on Friday, May 2.
The trust hopes it will help people to save on their escalating fuel bills and contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions.
The event will bring together independent experts on micro-energy systems as well as the producers of such systems.
There will be also panel sessions to cover issues such as planning, cost benefits, and affected utility providers, as well as an opportunity to learn about opportunities for grant aid support.
Trust chairman Edwin Beckett said: “We need to capitalise on the ready availability of land, light, water, and wind in order provide a better economic base for an area which is experiencing rocketing cost rises in all forms of energy.
“The fact that this could be achieved in a sensitive rural environment means that we are hoping to draw upon external funds in order to pilot some schemes.
"E4Exmoor follows our highly successful Broadband for Exmoor event which provided the impetus to getting most of Greater Exmoor onto broadband.”
The E4Exmoor event is being managed by business trustee Archie McIntyre.
Mr McIntyre said: "The trust has acted in order to raise this challenge to the forefront of rural action plans now being considered by the Rural Development Agency.
“We especially want businesses and communities, as well as individuals, to recognise opportunities for shared energy production.
“Our focus is on micro-energy production but we recognise that this is only one aspect of reducing energy dependence which has been well led by Forum 21 and other groups."
The trust is expecting considerable interest in its unique opportunity to learn more about locally produced energy, and hopes such enthusiasm will reinforce the case for pilot and demonstrator schemes to be supported by external grants.
The E4Exmoor symposium will run two identical programmes on the day, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, to cater for the anticipated large attendance.
More information is available from Mr McIntyre by calling 01884243568.

Working together can save West Somerset environment - and the £ in your pocket

WEST Somerset residents can make a difference to their environment by working together – that is the message emerging from a climate change strategy being drafted by the district’s local strategic partnership.
Loretta Whetlor, chairman of the West Somerset Strategic Partnership, which commissioned the strategy, said the draft document also showed climate change was hitting residents’ pockets as hard as it was affecting the environment.
Mrs Whetlor said: “Because climate change is such a big issue, some people think they do not have the power to influence it.
“Our strategy shows that by working together, we can make a very real difference to the environment locally and our pockets.”
The strategy’s hard-hitting facts about West Somerset reveal:

• Installing insulation into 5,500 electrically heated homes would save the local economy at least £3.5 million and reduce CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year
• Currently, grid-imported electricity costs the district’s domestic sector an estimated £11 million a year
• Moving five per cent of households to wood fuel would prevent £300,000 leaving the district’s economy
• If 10 per cent of diesel transport switched to biodiesel, expenditure would be reduced by £1.4 million

The draft strategy showed climate change was happening - and happening now.
West Somerset should expect milder, wetter winters, while sea levels were predicted to rise.
By reducing CO2 emissions, West Somerset’s reliance on fossil fuel energy would also be reduced.
The draft climate change strategy, entitled ‘Developing a Low Carbon Economy’, explains the issues and suggests ways in which people can reduce CO2 emissions.
West Somerset Council’s economic development and tourism portfolio holder, Councillor Michael Downes, said: “Rising energy prices and climate change affect everybody.
“More than £60 million is spent on energy in West Somerset every year, and all this money leaves the local economy.
“We need to encourage cleaner, greener businesses, and help develop and promote eco-friendly tourism options
“Every person living in West Somerset can do their bit to help.
“By making relatively easy lifestyle changes, we can all reduce our carbon footprint.”
‘Developing a Low Carbon Economy’ has been sent to a wide range of consultees, from parish councils to big businesses.
Forum 21, which drafted the document, is keen to hear the views of local residents so that everybody’s view is considered and incorporated into the final strategy.
Lorna Scott, of Forum 21, said: “A lot of time and research has gone into the strategy and we feel it will be quite an eye-opener when local people realise just how much money and energy is wasted at the expense of our environment - much of it unnecessarily.
“Climate change is often associated with gloomy news, but our strategy shows how we intend to turn this challenge into a positive story for the people of West Somerset, our environment, and our economy.”
The strategy can be found on West Somerset Council’s website at www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/climatechange.
There is a questionnaire which can be completed online, or downloaded and returned to Sarah Wilsher, West Somerset Council, Killick Way, Williton, TA4 4QA, or emailed to swwilsher@westsomerset.gov.uk.
The deadline for comments is Wednesday, April 30.
There will also be a series of presentations for businesses and the public on the draft strategy which include:

• For the business sector - Thursday, February 14, from 6.15 pm at the Queens Hall, Minehead, hosted by Minehead and District Chamber of Commerce
• For everybody - Tuesday, February 26, from 7 pm at the Forum 21 meeting in the Methodist Church, Watchet
• For everybody – Thursday, March 6, at a public meeting from 7 pm to 9 pm at Exmoor House, Dulverton.

Envision, a partnership of not-for-profit independent environmental business support organisations in the South West, is also running free training in February on how businesses can implement environmental measures, use sustainable design and construction, manage waste, and discover more about renewable energy.
For more information on the February training options visit www.envisionsw.org.uk or call 01823 366830.

• Our photograph taken on Minehead sea front shows (left to right) s Loretta Whetlor, Councillor Michael Downes, Lorna Scott, and strategic partnership manager Simon Hankinson. Photo submitted.

TWO new nuclear stations for Hinkley Point

NOT one, but two, new nuclear power stations are likely to be built in West Somerset following the Government’s decision this week to give the go-ahead for a new generation of power plants.
Hinkley Points C and D could be constructed and generating electricity in just 10 years’ time.
Meanwhile, the existing Hinkley B station could see its operating lifespan extended by a further two years to 2018, which would bridge the gap to the opening of the new stations.
Hinkley B owner British Energy still also owns sufficient land next to the now-closed Hinkley A station for the new power plants to be built.
Nearly two years ago, a Government-commissioned report made the Hinkley site a favourite for any new build.
Since then, British Energy has been undertaking detailed assessments of the location, including environmental, geological, and marine studies, and it now knows what work is needed to ensure the site is completely suitable.
In addition, the company has recently brokered a deal with the National Grid for new power plants to be connected from 2016 onwards.
It all adds up to the West Somerset site being progressed at ‘full speed ahead’ as the Government seeks to equip Britain with secure and cheap energy supplies.
Hinkley B station director Nigel Cann (pictured) told The Post: “We have done what we can to prepare ourselves for a positive outcome from the Government consultation process.”
Mr Cann said there was potential for a double unit to be built at Hinkley and it would make sense economically for any such decision to be taken from the outset of planning the new build.
Such a design would virtually double the amount of electricity generated at the site, which was important for the Westcountry as a whole because the region was one of the most vulnerable grid areas in the country.
Mr Cann said: “The Westcountry is very fragile from a grid point of view as regards supply of electricity.
“We are in a position where our (Hinkley B’s) connection to the grid is very valuable because if we were to close, then there is a risk of people losing their supplies in a cold winter.”
Hinkley B currently has capacity to produce enough electricity to power one million homes - just about every domestic property in the Westcountry - but has been running at only 70 per cent following two shutdowns for repairs last year.
Mr Cann said Hinkley B was also important to the local economy of West Somerset and the wider area because of the 700 skilled jobs available on the site and £30-£40 million of revenue which went into local communities.
The new station would create a similar number of jobs and provide the same kind of economic boost.
It is not yet known which companies would be commissioned to build the new nuclear stations, but French firm EDF Energy, which now owns the former South Western Electricity Board, has the experience and expertise and has already said it plans to build four in Britain.
British Energy said it was currently consulting on possible partnerships it might want to set up for new build schemes.
A small group of about 16 anti-nuclear protesters staged a peaceful roadside demonstration outside the Hinkley site on Thursday after the Government announcement and pledged to oppose any new build there.
Mr Cann said: “We have said nuclear is only part of the equation and we should still pursue energy efficiency and other solutions to close the energy gap.”
The largest union in the nuclear industry, Prospect, welcomed the Government’s decision to allow the construction of a new generation of nuclear power stations.
Assistant general secretary Mike Clancy said: “Nuclear energy is green energy, essential in the race to tackle climate change.
“New nuclear build is an essential part of a balanced energy policy that must embrace a wide range of low carbon options.
“It is crucial for the UK to meet the urgent priorities of climate change and security of energy supply.
“New build will yield major economic benefits by creating many thousands of new jobs - not only for those involved in operation, but also within the manufacturing and construction supply chain.”

An extra five years for Hinkley B while wait goes on for Hinkley C

HINKLEY Point B nuclear power station is to be given an extra five years’ of life with part of a £90 million investment by owners British Energy.
The news comes hard on the heels of the company’s announcement that the site had been earmarked for a new build Hinkley C station.
The twin advanced gas-cooled reactors in the B station were due to be decommissioned in 2011, but now they will continue generating electricity at least until 2016.
Hinkley B is currently running at reduced capacity due to boiler repairs following a closure earlier this year.
British Energy said it had completed the necessary technical and economic evaluation for the station, one of West Somerset’s largest employers, to continue operating beyond 2011.
Station director Nigel Cann said: “This is great news for all of us at Hinkley Point B and for everybody in the local Somerset community.
“The decision means we can continue to provide highly skilled jobs and bring major investment to the area.
“It also shows that British Energy recognises the professionalism and commitment of our staff in safely supplying low carbon electricity for more than 30 years.”
The station employs around 535 full-time staff, as well as 150 full-time staff from contract partners, and puts an estimated £30 million a year into the local economy.
Hinkley B has produced some 215 terrawatt hours (TWh) of generation since first supplying the National Grid in 1976.
During its working life so far, the station has saved around 140 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
To achieve the same annual carbon-avoided benefit would require the entire population of Bristol to reduce their carbon emissions to zero.
Hinkley trades union representative Tom Armstrong said staff were delighted with the news.
Mr Armstrong said: “This life extension is a major bonus for the station.
“It is the result of a tremendous amount of hard work by everybody involved, both on and off site, to secure a further five years of safe, reliable generation - an achievement of which we are all very proud.”
British Energy chief executive Bill Coley said the extension of Hinkley B’s operating lifespan would help combat global warming by supporting the UK’s climate change goals for the reduction of CO2 emissions.
The Government is expected to announce next month if it will give the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear reactors to be built in Britain.

• Our photograph shows Hinkley Point B (right) with the neighbouring Hinkley Point A station which is currently being decommissioned. Photo submitted.

Grants available for West Somerset residents to cut winter heating bills

GRIM warnings by consumer groups that energy bills could go up by as much as 10 per cent over the next six months are being tackled in a joint initiative by West Somerset Council and the UK’s longest-running and largest home energy saving project, the Heat Project.
Worries about rising costs stem from utility firms failing to pass on the resultant savings from last year’s fall in fuel prices.
Coupled with the forecast that the winter months ahead will be noticeably colder than last year, increases in energy bills could equate to \ devastating financial blow for many people living in West Somerset and Exmoor.
The council-endorsed Heat Project is currently targeting homes throughout the district through a mailing campaign to increase awareness of the grants available to all households for the installation of loft and cavity wall insulation.
It has been calculated that in a poorly-insulated property, up to 35 per cent of the heat produced by a central heating system is lost though walls, while 25 per cent escapes through the roof.
The installation of loft and cavity wall insulation is a relatively quick, easy, and cost-effective way of minimising such heat loss and significantly reducing a household’s carbon footprint, while also saving a potential £345 per year on energy bills.
Council portfolio holder for health and welfare, Councillor Kate Kravis, said: “We have supported the Heat Project for three years and recognise that grant-funded insulation schemes such as this help reduce the carbon footprint of the district as well as lowering residents’ fuel bills.
“We are happy to support and promote the scheme knowing that the Heat Project will continue to provide excellent customer service and workmanship, and we hope that local people will take advantage of this great offer.”
Grants available for these energy saving measures are limited, and anybody who wants to apply for a grant for insulation through the Heat Project should do so quickly to avoid disappointment.
Depending on the household’s circumstances, individuals who are in receipt of qualifying benefits may receive the insulation measures completely free.
Further information about the Heat Project in West Somerset is available by calling a free helpling on 0800 093 4050.

Roadshow visits town to give advice on saving energy

AN Energy Saving Week roadshow is again visiting Minehead and will be in the town on Friday, October 26.
It features advice, freebies, and a special visit from giant washing machine, all designed to prove to local residents that being green really is easy.
District council environmental health manager Ian Timms said: “The Bristol and Somerset Energy Efficiency Advice Centre is a one-stop source of free information on all matters relating to saving energy in the home.
“Whether your motivation is saving the world, saving the pennies, or keeping out the winter chill, their friendly experts can help.”
“Last year, the Minehead roadshow helpers spoke to over 150 people and delighted many who did not know that they qualified for free insulation simply for being over the age of 70, on a low income, or in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
“As well as information on grants for insulation and heating, they are happy to be quizzed on all matters under the energy-saving sun, from renewable energy to low energy lighting.”
The Energy Saving Week roadshow will be outside Woolworths, in The Avenue, between 10 am and 4 pm.
Every visitor will receive a free energy saving light bulb.