Index of information on this page
How Will We Heat our Schools by 2020?
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
To meet our 2020 15% renewable energy
target, we need to develop new ways of generating renewable energy
in all sectors, including heat. Heat generated from renewable
sources accounts for approximately 1% of total heat demand – this
may need to rise to 12% to hit our binding EU targets.
We will not be able to expand renewable heat
without some form of financial assistance because other forms of
heat are currently cheaper. Such support will enable more
people to afford renewable heat and, by expanding the market, help
bring costs down more quickly.
Common examples of renewable heat technologies
include: air and ground-source heat pumps, biomass boilers,
solar-thermal water heaters and combined heat and power (CHP)
plants which use renewable fuels.
Please click here for further information regarding renewable heat
technologies.
Schools with Renewable Energy
Below are examples of how schools in
Northumberland are using renewable energy successfully. If your
school has introduced renewables and you wish to write a case
study, please contact kate.cowling@northumberland.gov.uk
and she will publish it on this website.
Find out how the governing body of a small
rural First School has enabled the building to build a ground
breaking energy efficient extension to improve their teaching
facilities. (details to follow in due course).
Ground Source Heat
Schools including new build PLF schools in
Blyth and Beaufront First School have used this technology to
reduce energy bills.
All three new build schools in Blyth now
include heating using this technology. The systems have just been
commissioned and results of energy savings will be available over
the coming months.
Educational Benefits
Each school has a display meter in their
entrance area so the pupils and parents can see how much Carbon
Dioxide is saved.
How Ground Source Heat Pumps Work
Please click here for further information about how ground source
heat pumps work.
Renewable Heat Incentive Payments
Ground source heat will attract the Department
of energy and climate change renewable heat incentives.
Air Source Heat
This form of heating is suitable for many
schools particularly where Gas is not an option. Many of the new
Sure Start centres including Hexham East and Alnwick use this
technology. Energy bills received indicate the technology is
economic to operate.
How Air Source Heat Works
Please click here for advice from the Energy Saving Trust
explaining how the technology works.
Ground source heat will attract the Department of energy and
climate change renewable heat incentives.
Biomass Boilers
A number of schools are currently carrying out
feasibilities to introduce this technology, others already have
syst
ems including those at Delaval First School, Kielder First
School and Ponteland First school.
Biomass boilers not only reduce your Carbon
Dioxide emissions but are also cheap to operate and, from April
2011, will attract the Department of Energy and Climate Changes new
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) paybacks.
Solar Water Heating
Schools with Solar water heating include
Hareside Primary in Cramlington and Beaufront First School. This
technology will also attract the Department of Energy and Climate
changes renewable heat incentive.
