Nethermills Hydro Scheme meets expected targets despite unusually dry year

It was our pleasure to welcome South Ayrshire's Community Planning Partnership Board to our Nethermills Hydro Scheme last week. And on such a beautiful spring morning Ayrshire really is a fantastic place to be.

Having been operational for a full year now, it was great to have the opportunity to share some of the lessons learned and data gathered during what has been an unusually dry year. Despite this, our first feasability and hydrological surveys predicted the site could generate 320MWh of electicty and this was fully realised with 321MWh of electricity produced over those first 12 months. 79% of this energy was used by the nearby Riverside Building at Ayrshire college, the remaing 21% being exported to the grid. Once initial capital costs are repaid, any future surplus funds will be used locally for fuel poverty and green energy projects throughout the south west of Scotland.

We would like to thank the CPP Board for taking the time to visit us.
 

Call for SNP Leadership candidates to prioitise the climate and nature crises

 

We felt it important to show our support as just one of the 47 organisation who signed the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and Scottish Environment LINK letter to the SNP leadership candidates. Published today, 13th March 2023, this letter is calling on them to publicly state their commitment to strong action on climate and nature, and the actions they'd take to deliver faster progress if they become First Minister. 

Read the full letter here: Letter to SNP Leadership Candidates

Our latest article

Check out the Energy Agency article in the spring edition of Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce magazine with top tips to help businesses #saveenergy this #spring

If you are a small or medium-sized enterprise, arrange a free, impartial energy saving assessment from Business Energy Scotland www.businessenergyscotland.org

Our local advisor, Brogan Devlin, can also help you apply for an interest-free SME loan and cashback grant from the Scottish Government to help you make energy-saving changes.

E-mail brogan.devlin@businessenergyscotland.org #energysaving

Spring edition Chamber magazine article

Scotland celebrates 10 Years of being a Fair Trade Nation

On 25th February 2023, Scotland celebrates #10Years of being a Fair Trade Nation.

Energy Agency is proud to support Fair Trade by being a ‘South Ayrshire Flagship Employer’ and we regularly sponsor the Sustainability category of the Scottish Fair Trade Awards. 

We will continue to support a #FairTradeFuture for people and planet in the fight against global poverty.

Green Spotlight on Local Energy Efficiency Project

 

L-R: Liz Marquis (Energy Agency), Patrick Harvie (MSP), Jim McMahon (Cllr),

Mark Thomson (McConnell), Neil McCulloch (EAC), Neil Williams (McConnell) 

Energy Agency Director, Liz Marquis was delighted to meet with Patrick Harvie MSP, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights on Friday 3rd February.

The visit took place in Auchinleck where the Energy Agency are working in partnership with East Ayrshire Council and HLS McConnell to deliver energy efficiency measures that improve the energy performance of homes, reduce household energy bills and lower carbon emissions.

Showcasing Local Energy Projects to Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland

It was our pleasure to welcome Viv Cockburn to Ayrshire this week. 

Viv is a member of the Strategic Board of Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland, part of the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Energy & Climate Change.

After visiting the Home Energy Scotland (South West) Advice Centre at the Energy Agency offices in Auchincruive, a trip was taken to neighbouring Tarbolton to view the External Wall Insulation taking place as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes. 

Meeting with contractors A.C. Whyte & Co. Ltd. who are delivering the works, these programmes improve the energy performance of homes, reduce household energy bills and lower carbon emissions in the housing sector.

The final stop was a visit to Nethermills Hydro Scheme on the River Ayr. Built and managed by our subsidiary company Energy Agency Renewables Ltd, this Archimedes screw turbine is generating green electricity for the nearby Ayrshire College Riverside Building. Any excess electricity is being fed into the national grid for the benefit of future renewables and fuel poverty projects.

We would like to thank Viv for taking the time to visit with the Energy Agency and look forward to working with Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland.

Nethermills Hydro Scheme Mural Installed

 

Nethermills Hydro Scheme gets a face lift with art installation. 

Created by Ayrshire College student Milo Bell, this was the winning entry in the inaugural competion to design a mural that is to be run annualy by the college. Highlighting the amazing environment and local habitat it is wonderful to use a previously blank space to showcase not only the work of the students, but also the benefits of green energy production. It also helps to maintain awareness of renewable energy, promoting the benefits to the local community and young people.