£8million green revolution for South Tyneside as cash funds cutting-edge energy project and dozens more schemes
A total of 26 schemes ranging from a cutting-edge energy project to solar panels and LED lighting for schools, leisure facilities and civic buildings will be funded from an £8million grant from Government.
A large amount of the funding will be used for enabling works on a ‘South Shields District Heating System’, an innovative scheme using minewater to warm buildings.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThis will be similar to schemes already being developed in Jarrow and Hebburn – which will harness the River Tyne and water from flooded mines respectively to heat council buildings.
South Tyneside Council leader Cllr Tracey Dixon said the 26 projects would cut a “substantial amount” of emissions each year, contributing to the council’s aim of being carbon neutral by 2030.
“This is fantastic news and testament to the great work we are doing to meet our target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. We are resolute in our ambitions to become carbon neutral and are using every opportunity available to us,” she said.
“It is only 12 months since we launched the Sustainable South Tyneside Strategy and we’ve already made great strides in reducing the council’s overall carbon footprint.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"We want to build on that progress to meet the ambitious targets we’ve set ourselves and the award of this funding will make a significant difference.”
Cllr Dixon said Work will commence immediately, and the majority of projects will be delivered by Summer 2021.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launched the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is for energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects within public sector non-domestic buildings.
Council chiefs say the projects in South Tyneside were chosen after detailed analysis of carbon emissions data to determine which council operations were responsible for the largest carbon emissions.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdEmissions from civic buildings, leisure facilities and street lighting account for 71% of the council’s total carbon footprint, and these have therefore been chosen as priorities by the council.
Cllr Dixon said the £8million will help tackle civic buildings and leisure facilities further, and covers 100% of the costs with no match funding needed from the council.