We are happy to finally announce that after a few delays we have installed solar panels onto our 363 Holmesdale Road community!
At Emmaus SLC we are aiming towards an eco-friendlier approach for our communities and these solar panels are an excellent edition.
Considering our communities accommodate many people who frequently use devices such as phones, televisions, kitchen appliances and more it can leave a worrying large carbon footprint. Even something as small as using a mobile phone or cooking dinner can burn a concerning amount of carbon emissions.
As well as being eco-friendly the solar panels will also significantly reduce our energy bills for 363 Holmesdale Road which will be helpful during the cost-of-living crisis.
Speaking on the solar panels, our Partnerships Manager Ross had this to say:
“The impact on the environment of running a 10-bedroom community home has always been a major concern for me. Now I know that we are able to cut the amount of damage we do to the environment makes me feel happier and we are working closer to being as sustainable/ environmentally friendly as possible.
We would not have been able to have our solar system installed without a grant from the Environment Fund run by Emmaus UK. The system we chose has 13 solar panels producing up to 4885kWh per year and 3 batteries that are able to store up to 13.2kWh, together these will make real savings to our utility bills.
The system we chose has an App that monitors how much electricity we use, the times of day when power is cheaper, and how much power electrical items use. We can use this data to also help Companions learn budgeting skills for when they leave the Community and learn simple tricks such as washing at night and cooking once a day so they can keep their utility bills as low as possible”.
Although eco-friendly alternatives are not always as accessible for everyone, and we do take into account that the ongoing cost of living crisis has affected everyone’s way of life, we do encourage you to consider your carbon footprint and take steps to decrease it. Even the smallest change can leave a significant impact on our planet.
We were able to fund this project thanks to a grant from the Emmaus Environment Fund. This fund is set up to help Emmaus Communities, across the UK, improve our Community Homes to make them be more environmentally friendly and lower utility bills.
We would like to thank G&E services and their workers for installing the solar panels.