Quarry secures funding to help boost its climate action
A NEW carbon-cutting project at a quarry near Ashbourne has been given a boost from a council fund aimed at tackling climate change.
Derbyshire County Council has given Longcliffe Quarries, which has a site in Brassington, £20,000 to help install new inverter equipment, which will reduce the site’s energy consumption.
The equipment is expected to cut the Brassington site’s emissions by 40,000kg of carbon dioxide and equivalent gases each year.
Ian Mcdonald, development director at Longcliffe Quarries, said: “This funding will allow us to install variable frequency drives on to the process line which will provide us with enhanced motor control as well as the ability to drive our energy consumption down.
“We’re working towards installing and commissioning the new equipment by the end of the year which will help us on our challenging pathway of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2027.”
The council launched the £2m fund in partnership with the University of Derby in March to support green economic recovery across Derbyshire by offering financial assistance to businesses and organisations interested in developing and investing in green energy and carbon reduction schemes.
Councillor Tony King, Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for Clean Growth and Regeneration said: “This is a really exciting milestone for the Green Entrepreneurs Fund.
“It is offering businesses the confidence and financial back-up they need to help turn their pioneering ideas into reality. These projects will help us along on our journey to cutting the county’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. And by championing this type of business innovation, we believe that Derbyshire can become a leader in the field in the development of green energy, bringing a unique opportunity to bring greater benefits to local communities and local economic conditions to create high quality jobs driven by utilising the local skills base in engineering and manufacturing.” Money was also given to Hayfield Sustainable Transport to help the project develop software to help businesses in the area organise themselves into transport groups and operate Micro Car Clubs, on-demand shuttles, and shared e-cargo bikes.
Roland Strube at Hayfield Sustainable Transport said: “We’re really pleased our bid to the Green Entrepreneurs Fund was successful.
“It means we can press ahead with plans to develop an online platform that makes it possible for users and organisations to participate in developing the transport they need by establishing financial viability online before any transport is provided on the ground.”
Professor Kathryn Mitchell DL, Vice-chancellor of the University of Derby, which backed the fund, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with the county council to deliver this unique opportunity for businesses.
“It forms part of the University’s ongoing commitment to support the shift to a greener economy across the region and beyond.
“It is exciting to see the first businesses using the fund and we look forward to working with more of the entrepreneur community to make Derbyshire synonymous with sustainable business.”
In addition to grants for alternative energy, clean fuel, low carbon or carbon reduction schemes, a £100,000 training fund has also been set aside to support individuals to retrain with skills to enable them to enter the field of alternative energy.
To find out more visit derbyshire.gov.uk/gef