A renewable energy project in Herefordshire has been awarded more than £23,000 from EDF Energy.

The grant for £23,178 from the EDF Energy Green Fund will help pay for solar panels and an air source heat pump at Peterchurch Primary School, in Peterchurch, near Hereford. The school is already implementing a range of sustainable habits, as one of more than 11,000 schools that are part of The Pod, EDF Energy's online programme for greener schools.

Whilst educating pupils on the importance of renewable energy, the panels will allow the school to generate its own energy, to power equipment including computers and lighting, save money and reduce its carbon emissions. The air source heat pump will take latent heat from the air outside the school, to help heat the school and its hot water system.


The announcement comes after another renewable energy project in the county, The Cart Shed in Norton Canon, received news that it too had received a grant of £25,000 towards a wind turbine, solar panels and a heat pump, through the fund. It means that two of the ten EDF Energy Green Fund projects announced in the latest national funding round are in Herefordshire.

Candyce Garlick, headteacher at Peterchurch Primary School, said: "We're delighted that the EDF Energy Green Fund is to help make this exciting project a reality. The £23,718 will go a huge way to helping us create this low carbon solution. We have been an Eco school for many years, we are part of the Pod and are fully committed to becoming more sustainable and this renewable project will help us as a school do just that."

Building work is expected to begin in the next few weeks, with the project completed by the summer.

(CD/GK)