Review of Sustainable Living Weekend

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Picture of photovoltaic panels on a garage roof
Photovoltaic panels at Allerdown Farm, Sandford
Photograph of a man adding fuel to a log burner taken at Beech Hill, Morchard Bishop
Picture of a vegetable garden
Raised beds at Bertie's Cottage, Yeoford
Photograph of photovoltaic panels on the roof of a house
Photovoltaic panels on the roof at Broomclose, Sandford
Picture of a pig taken at 8 Fourways, Eggesford
Photograph of a solar water boiler
Solar water at Furlongs, Sandford
Photograph of a wind turbine in the snow taken at Higher Park Farm, Pennymoor
Picture of an air-source heat pump taken at 13 Old Rectory Gardens, Morchard Bishop
Air Source Heat Pump
Photograph of photovoltaic panels on the roof of a cottage
Photovoltaic panels on the roof at Priorton Mill Cottage, Sandford
Photograph of men installing solar thermal panels on a roof
Solar thermal panels being installed at Riverside, Woolfardisworthy
Photograph of photovoltaic panels on a barn roof
Photovoltaic panels on a barn at Summerhill Farm, Hittisleigh
Photograph of men installing photovoltaic panels on a roof
Installation at the home of Charles & Paula Mossman

The Food and Energy Groups were pleased with the public response to the Sustainable Living Weekend. 

Inspite of there being very hot weather, a multitude of other local events, world cup soccer and the thought that many people who visited last year might not have wanted to come again, there were 260 visits at the 14 homes which were open to the public to demonstrate money-saving renewable energy systems and kitchen gardens. A wide variety of systems were on display to show how money can be saved by cutting back on the use of electricity and oil - and helping to protect the environment. These included solar panels, wind turbines, wood burning stoves, a system for using heat from the air, and solid wall insulation. There were also several kitchen gardens, small holdings and farms on display showing how fruit and veg can be grown and animals reared.

Charles Mossman from the Energy Group said:

"We were initially a bit disappointed with the response but taking into account all the competing factors, 260 visitors over the course of the weekend is very good. All the visitors appeared to be very keen, interested in what they were seeing, and many said how useful it had been talking to someone who has actually got such an installation and could ask about costs, effectiveness, their benefits and
limitations. Several people said that they would be going ahead and installing a PV system themselves now that the new Feed-in Tariff mechanism was in place."

Linda Lever from the Food Group said

"The visitors to the gardens and small holdings went away with lots of gardening tips and insights into such topics as hot and cold composting and keeping a wormery. One couple visiting the small holding in Eggesford are now going to keep pigs as a result of their visit".

At Morchard Bishop, Peter Moffett showed 22 visitors a central and water heating system which takes its heat from
the air all year round. He also has a newly installed PV installation in which half the panels are facing east and half are facing west. Along with his organic garden, he is setting a fantastic example for renewable and sustainable living. 

As a follow-on to the weekend it has been suggested that we could have a list of people willing to be contacted via the Sustainable Crediton website by the general public for private adhoc viewings of renewable energy systems. We will investigate this idea and let you know the outcome in a future Newsletter.

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