Power management software saves £2,000 in one Denbighshire school alone

A council that declared a climate emergency last year revealed it is looking at car-charging solar canopies and  ground source heat exchange pumps in a bid to cut carbon.

These were just two of the suggestions at climate a public climate change and ecological emergency meeting at County Hall, Ruthin.

Council tax payers, teachers and schoolchildren had the chance to quiz the authority’s officers and elected members on the direction of travel for its green agenda.

It was chaired by Llangollen councillor Graham Timms and involved presentations on the organisation’s plans to hit an ambitious target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The move was approved by county councillors in July 2019 when they also voted for a motion declaring a climate and ecological emergency.

It emerged during the meeting that the largest emitters of carbon within the local authority were its leisure centres.
The council’s energy project officer, Martin Smith said: “By looking at the way they used energy we reduced carbon emissions by 39% and made a £9,829 saving per year.

“Power management software saved us £2,000 in one school alone.”

He said using building management software the council could save thousands more by staff “hot-desking” (using any available work station) and closing off unused areas of their major buildings.

The council has also been looking at using ground source heat exchange pumps to heat houses rather than hooking up to gas.
The technology circulates a mixture of water and antifreeze around a loop of pipe, called a ground loop, which is buried in your garden. Heat from the ground is absorbed into the fluid and then passes through a heat exchanger into the heat pump.
Council officer Tom Booty told the meeting they had 14 charging points for electric cars and they were looking at various technologies surrounding the fleet.

He said: “We are looking at installing solar panels over car parks and using that to charge electric vehicles.”
Chief executive Judith Greenhalgh said they were doing what they could but Welsh government needed to step up and support the council.

She said: “Welsh Government are requiring us to deal with the climate emergency. That will only take us so far. It will take an astronomical amount of money.”

Cllr Timms added: “The cost of becoming carbon neutral is huge. While we have 100% of the councillors behind it, we need to get Welsh Government to help us.

“But it’s looking like it will come down to local people.”

By Jez Hemming – Local Democracy Reporter