CLIMATE FOCUS ON HEATING OUR HOMES DURING AN ENERGY CRISIS
DEREK HOSTS A WEBINAR ON INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FROM CORNWALL
Derek Thomas MP is hosting a meeting of West Cornwall’s Climate Focus group on to hear about two innovative heating projects based in Cornwall which could help decarbonise our homes.
The Climate Focus group – organised by Derek, Pippa Stilwell, the WI’s Climate Ambassador, and Green Mayor of Penzance, Cllr Jonathan How – has been holding webinars to learn about action being taken locally and nationally to tackle the climate crisis.
Our reliance on gas and oil to heat our homes is a national issue at the moment, with prices at an all-time high. But even before it became an issue of energy security, the need to decarbonise heating – which is the UK’s biggest source of carbon emissions – has always been a priority in tackling climate change.
Local action, however, shows how heating can be decarbonised, with Cornwall showing the way to a low-carbon future.
Heat the Streets is a project that will support the development of a sustainable ground source heating network in Stithians, using boreholes to extract heat from the ground. The project is designed to show what the future of British heating could be: by reducing the capital cost of the lowest carbon, lowest grid impact, lowest running cost heating available it can make ground source heating a viable option.
The Geevor Mine Community Heating Initiative is an initial study, funded by the Department for Energy, Cornwall Council, LiveWest and the National Trust, to explore the use of mine water heating in Geevor Tin Mine to heat houses in LiveWest’s Boscaswell Estate and the National Trust properties. Water within mine shafts is warmed by natural processes due to the granite bedrock and could provide a continuous supply of renewable, low-carbon heat. If successful, this initiative will provide a model for the use of mineshafts across Cornwall in meeting carbon neutral ambitions.
Derek says:
“I am pleased that our next session will learn about two fascinating – and vital – projects. We need to reduce the emissions from heating by 95% to reach Net Zero, and we need new ways to ensure we can keep warm more cheaply and more sustainably.
“Cornwall can be proud that we are leading the way to Net Zero with innovative ways of heating, and I am looking forward to hearing more about these exciting projects.”
You will be able to join the call here:
https://parliament-uk.zoom.us/j/64241236495
Meeting ID: 642 4123 6495
Passcode: 989102