£1 MILLION RENEWABLE ENERGY SCHEME WILL SAVE OVER 7,500 TONNES OF CARBON EMISSIONS OVER NEXT 20 YEARS
The switch has been thrown on one of the biggest renewable energy installations in Norfolk, in a move that is projected to cut energy costs by £4.25 million and save over 7,500 tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 20 years at a major facility run by specialist learning disability services provider Jeesal Group.
The one megawatt biomass plant and 200 kilowatt solar photovoltaic installation at Cawston Park were switched on by Jeesal director of operations Sel Akman, along with Chris Abel of Abel Energy, the Watton-based company which designed and built the £1 million scheme.
The new installation will provide a megawatt of heat and over 200 kilowatts of electricity to Cawston Park, which provides specialist care for adults with learning disabilities and associated needs.
“This has been the biggest single renewable energy scheme we have built,” said Chris Abel, managing director of Abel Energy, which is based at Watton’s Neaton Business Park. “It has replaced an old, inefficient heating system at Cawston Park, which will provide significant ongoing cost savings, as well as considerably reducing the facility’s carbon footprint.”
The scheme saw Abel Energy construct a purpose-designed 400 cubic metre wood chip fuel store and plant room to house the biomass boilers and associated equipment, as well as installing 1.2 kilometres of district heating main to deliver heat to eleven separate buildings. The 770 ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels cover an area of a third of an acre.
Throwing the switch to turn on the new installation, Sel Akman of Jeesal said, ”This has been a major investment for us, but one which we know will deliver real benefits, in financial terms, in heating and powering our buildings more effectively, and in reducing our carbon footprint, and ensuring a more efficient heating service for the individuals we support
“We are now looking at more renewable energy sources for our other sites as our organisation continues to grow.
“As a Norfolk-based company ourselves, we are delighted to have worked with Abel Energy, a local supplier, who have worked hard to provide us with a bespoke solution to our particular energy needs.”
The privately-owned Jeesal Group was founded in 1985, and is one of the largest independent providers of specialist learning disability services across Norfolk. It provides a range of specialist care for adults with learning disabilities and associated needs, and employs around 500 people in the county. The Group added Cawston Park to its portfolio in 2010.