NEWS FLASH

If you would like to try this winter to reduce your household heat and energy bills then contact LIFE for information about how to get a free Thermal Imaging Survey of your house and information about insulation and other energy saving ideas.

The Lochaber Initiative on Fuel and Energy (LIFE)

Support from the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) for the 'RENEW' Project ceased at the end of March, 2011. The Lochaber Environmental Group have obtained further support from CCF for a new 12 month project - the Lochaber Initiative on Fuel and Energy (LIFE). Building on the success of the RENEW project, the Lochaber Initiative on Fuel and Energy (LIFE) aims to help more people in Lochaber reduce their heating bills through energy conservation and insulation measures. The Project aims to reduce energy and fuel consumption, and thus Lochaber’s carbon footprint through:

• Using thermal imaging cameras to see where homes are losing heat.

• Using ‘real-time’ electricity monitors through a schools project to see how much power is being used in individual households.

• Providing information on insulation and other home energy saving methods, particularly where free support is available from the government.

• Providing support to encourage the use of local renewable fuel and energy sources.

The RENEW network - connecting renewable energy installation companies and householders with each other - will continue on the LEG website, under the LIFE banner. The schools ‘OWL’ energy monitor pilot project will be expanded to cover as many schools in Lochaber as possible.

In the winter LIFE plans to work with local community groups in Lochaber, using thermal imaging cameras, which will show exactly where heat is being lost from houses. This will enable project staff to provide information that is relevant to each household and provide the most efficient and economic solutions to the problem of heat loss and energy consumption. This should lead to big energy savings and smaller heating / power bills at a time when the price of fuel is going up and up.

Group visits will continue to take place so that people can gain specific, first-hand experience of the benefits and see how the technology actually works in Lochaber - including solar hot water collectors, ground and air source heat pumps, automated wood pellet boilers, micro-hydro schemes, solar PV and small scale wind turbines.

Justine and Robert are available to chat about energy-related issues from 9 am till 8 pm, 7 days a week (if they are not there, leave a message and they will get back to you) on 01967-402453. Or email them at life@lochaber-environmental-group.org.uk or justinerob@lycos.com 

We would especially like to hear from individuals who'd be interested in becoming part of the network (it's free to join) and showcasing their installation or experiences, and from professionals who are micro-renewable installers or interested in sustainable building techniques.  We also want to 'map' all the renewable installations in Lochaber so please let us know if you have any technologies currently installed.

Click here to go straight to our renewable technologies section.