New funds help firm to tackle climate change

Jun 16 2009 by Amy Hunt, The Journal

A LOCAL firm is helping tackle climate change thanks to extra Government funding.

North Tyneside-based SOL2O aims to lead the way in renewable energy, providing energy-saving solutions to businesses in the North East and beyond.

Now an additional £45m of Government funding has been allocated to encourage non-profit organisations to beat climate change.

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) has been given the extra funding to develop its microgeneration certificate scheme (MCS), which allows non-profit companies to apply for 50% of costs to install renewable energy technologies.

Head of operations at SOL2O, Steve Wigham, said: “Solar photovoltaics, wood fuelled boiler systems and ground source heat pumps are some of the energy-saving apparatus that charitable organisations, community groups and the public sector can apply to cover half of the project costs.”

This year’s budget announced the setting of the world’s first carbon budgets as required by the new Climate Change Act, which means the work of SOL2O is increasingly important.

The carbon budgets set a legally-binding 34% reduction in emissions by 2020 and 14% of heat demand will need to be met by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power by 2020.

Also unveiled were additional funds for social housing with the condition that 34% of the energy used had to be from renewable sources.

Stephen Bilclough, chief executive of the John N Dunn group, which recently took over SOL2O to strengthen its green division, said: “We can offer businesses advice on all the issues around renewable energy including information about government legislation and the new grants that are available.

“We can also come up with green solutions tailored to the needs of specific businesses, which not only save money but benefit the environment.”

SOL2O has worked across the region on a variety of projects, including providing solar thermal systems at the housing developments at Whinney Banks, Kielder Village and Hadstone as well as larger scale projects at the sports and leisure centre at Catterick Garrison, various NHS health centres throughout the North East and offices recently built on the Cobalt Business Park at Wallsend in North Tyneside.