Location: North Connel, Argyll

Technology: air source heat pumps, energy storage, Solar PV

CARES funding: £33,352 capital grant

Date installed/operational: April 2024

Background

Built in 1987, North Connel Hall is a community space used for local functions and organisations, such as the Guides, Scouts, and country dancers. The hall was previously heated using electricity and with the drastic rise in fuel costs, this created a concern for the hall’s future sustainability.

Project aims and objectives

The trustees had two main aims for this project:

  • To increase the energy efficiency of the hall while reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
  • To provide cheaper and more effective heating.

North Connel Hall received an energy efficiency assessment through Business Energy Scotland to get the appropriate recommendations. The trustees decided to install 30 photovoltaic solar panels with accompanying battery storage and three air source heat pumps.

The trustees applied for support from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) and received a capital grant of £33,352. North Connel Hall also received £6,000 from Awards for All, £500 from a local hydro electric community benefit fund, and a £750 donation from a windfarm company. This meant North Connel Hall only had to cover 8% of the remaining total costs.

North Connel Hall also needed to apply for planning permission due to the building’s proximity to Oban airport. However, a building warrant was not required for the project.

Outcomes and achievements

North Connel Hall received planning permission in February 2024 and the new system was operational by April 2024. While the full impact will be clearer after a year, North Connel Hall has already seen a noticeable reduction in the hall’s carbon emissions and energy costs and find the overall system to be more effective. The trustees believe that the main project aims have been achieved and are planning on reinvesting these savings into further improvements.

Three of the trustees use the Solaredge app on their phones, which allows them to monitor energy production and usage. The trustees hope to negotiate a smart export guarantee with their energy supplier, as it’s been noticed on some sunny days that around half the solar generation is fed back to the grid with no financial return.

North Connel Hall state that it would not have been able to raise the capital for this project without CARES funding covering 80% of the total cost.

Lessons learned

Trustees recommend applying to Business Energy Scotland for a free energy efficiency assessment.

Trustees also found that applying for planning permission was a learning exercise. The project benefited from having a local volunteer who prepared drawings and provided advice on how to apply through the planning portal.

Acquiring quotes from contractors proved to be one of the most challenging aspects during the project. One local contractor responded stating they only worked on domestic setups, while other contractors based in the central belt did not offer quotes. However, the trustees said they were lucky to find trusted and reliable local contractors that were able to do the work and quoted a favourable rate.

Published December 2024