The National Trust has announced plans to provide 43 of its historic sites with renewable energy, in partnership with green electricity firm Good Energy.

The trust will invest almost £3.5 million in five pilot projects during 2013-14, which will involve hydro, biomass and heat pump energy sources.

According to the preservation group, if the pilot scheme is successful, the trust will spend a further £35 million on a full-scale renewable energy programme, allowing it to generate 50 per cent of its energy usage from renewable sources (27 per cent from hydro energy, 21 per cent from biomass, one per cent from heat pumps and 0.5 per cent from solar), whilst halving its fossil fuel consumption by 2020. This will reportedly save an estimated £4 million per year.

Further, it is hoped that the programme will cut oil consumption from 20 per cent to three per cent, with energy consumption as a whole being cut by 20 per cent. The trust estimates that the scheme will save 2,586 tonnes of CO2 a year, eight per cent of its carbon footprint.

The five pilot sites set for renewable energy under the trial are:

• Plas Newydd will implement a 300 kilowatt (kW) marine source heat pump to provide 100 per cent of the property’s heat requirements;
• Croft Castle will see a 150kW biomass boiler supply 74 per cent of the property’s heating needs;
• Ickworthwill have 100 per cent of its heating needs met by a300kW biomass boiler;
• Craflwyn will produce ‘more than’ 100kW of hydro-generation to be sold back to the National Grid; and
• Stickle Ghyll will see a 90kW hydro-electric project provide 30 per cent of the property’s energy needs.

Savings on energy costs

Patrick Begg, Rural Enterprises Director at National Trust, said: “Through our work we show that renewable technologies can be made to work in some of the country’s most sensitive landscapes and historic environments.

“Like householders everywhere we are facing rising energy bills. We spend more than £6 million each year heating and powering the places in our care.

“By investing in renewable energy production we can reduce our energy bills and invest more in vital conservation work around the country. It will put renewable energy at the heart of conservation.”

The trust estimates that by 2020, it could be spending £7.5 million on energy if it maintains it current practices.

However, this latest renewable energy project could save £4.3 million on energy costs from 2019, and, the trust argues, when savings from lower fuel costs and schemes such as the Renewable Heat Incentive are considered, could see a 10 per cent return on investment.

Patrick Begg explained: “Projects must offer strong financial returns, build energy independence and energy security, but also respect properties’ settings and historical significance, and improve conservation, wherever possible.

“A major focus of the programme will be to dramatically reduce the trust’s reliance on oil from 20 per cent to three per cent. This not only protects it from volatile and rising prices, but also reduces the risk that oil spills will pollute water courses, gardens and buildings. Two of the trial properties, Plas Newydd and Ickworth, are the trust’s largest users of fuel oil.”

The trust claims that over the past decade over 150 renewable energy schemes have been installed at its properties, including biomass, solar electricity and hot water, small-scale wind energy, hydroelectric and heat pumps.

It is also offering its members the opportunity to sign up with Good Energy, who will pay the Trust £40 for each of its members who sign up. The trust states that £3.8 million could be raised if five per cent of its members become Good Energy customers, with 95,000 households switching to renewable energy.

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