The conservation charity hopes this investment will enable them to attain their target of reducing energy usage by 20 per cent and taking 50 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The 10 year renewable energy programme is being delivered in partnership with Good Energy and follows a £3.5 million pilot with the independent energy supplier which was launched in 2013.
During this pilot phase the National Trust successfully completed five separate renewable energy projects, including the installation of a biomass boiler at Ickworth in Suffolk which replaced a 5,000 litre oil tank. The boiler uses wood from the estate, allowing the mansion to become “self-sufficient in heat”.
The new programme could help the National Trust save as much as £4 million per year on energy costs, with excess electricity from some projects being sold back to the grid. This will provide an additional source of income for the charity, and enable it to focus on its conservation work.
The programme will comprise more than 40 projects, among which are:
• A 200kW lake source heating project in Blickling Estate, Norfolk – saving an estimated 68 tonnes of CO2.
• Two biomass boilers at Upton House, Warwickshire – saving an estimated 55 tonnes of CO2.
• A 250kW hydro-scheme at Hayeswater, Cumbria – providing income in order to support conservation work.
National Trust rural enterprises director Patrick Begg emphasised his commitment to the programme. “In setting out our 10 year plan we recognised we will have to play our part in helping to mitigate climate change,” he said.
“A key part of that is to reduce our reliance on oil and look for greener energy solutions.”
He conceded that installing the renewable technologies at the National Trust sites would be a “huge challenge” but said it plays “a vital part in us reaching our 2020 energy targets and in delivering more for our core conservation mission”.
Good Energy chief executive Juliet Davenport said: “It’s been fantastic to see how renewable projects like the biomass boiler at Ickworth are transforming the energy use of some our oldest and most special buildings. The National Trust is truly inspirational with this approach.”
The National Trust encourages users to switch to Good Energy, as the organisation has pledged to give £40 per year to the National Trust for each customer who signs up to its dual fuel tariff.