Microgeneration in Kirklees

This is an initiative to create a 'solar village' as part of an overall regeneration scheme for the Primrose Hill area in the Kirklees District.

BedZED

The UK's largest eco-village

The scheme includes both existing houses managed by Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing and new homes being built by Yorkshire Housing Group.

Key design features:

  • 113 kWp of solar electricity PV systems.
  • 58kWp of ‘bolt-on’ systems on existing social housing properties including 12 individual bungalows, 34 two storey houses and 3 two storey flats (1kWp per home).
  • 55kWp of roof integrated systems on 31 new houses and a new building containing 32 flats.
  • 63 solar thermal (hot water) systems on 32 existing social housing properties and 31 new homes.

The Key aims of the project are to:

  • Reduce tenants’ fuel bills and hence, fuel poverty. The solar installations will provide around 20% of electricity needs and 50-60% of tenants’ hot water needs.
  • Supply tenants with power from renewable energy sources.  (This will contribute to reaching a target of meeting 5% of the Kirklees district’s energy demand from renewable sources by 2005).
  • Increase the Council’s capacity to deliver large scale renewables initiatives on domestic properties and maintain its leadership in the support of renewable energy both locally and in the UK.
  • Develop local skills.
  • Make a significant reduction in green house gas emissions (over 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year).
  • Support Decent Homes energy efficiency improvements on the existing houses
  • Contribute to achieving an Ecohomes ‘Excellent’ status for the new build development.

Achievements to date:

  • The installations on the existing KNH homes were completed in September 2005.
  • Consultation exercises in other areas of Kirklees have revealed expressions of interest from other residents for the installation of more renewals in the area.
  • Strong Councillor support has helped gain funding and Council approval.
  • Local jobs have been created and local skills increased. For example training a local solar thermal installer in solar PV installation and the establishment of a new team with demonstrated experience in installing solar PV and solar thermal systems on social housing properties.
  • More than £400,000 in external funds has been brought into the Kirklees community. (The project has been funded through the UK Government's Major PV Demonstration Programme (310,000), UK Govt's ClearSkies (£60,500), EU SunCities programme (£125,000), Yorkshire Housing Group (£106,500), Kirklees Neighbourhodd Housing (£55,000), Kirklees Single Regeneration Budget (£25,000) and the Renewable Energy Fund. (£32,500)
  • The project has also attracted national attention as a result of a visit from Elliot Morley as part of a tour of best practice sustainable development initiatives in West Yorkshire.