Solar Farm will help Island households out of poverty

 

Thanks to a grant from Wight Community Energy a local community benefit society, The Footprint Trust charity will be able to help 80 households out of fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty is generally defined as those households spending 10 per cent or more of their income on fuel for their home, which affects around one in 10 of Island homes. Wight Community Energy generate green power, supplying energy to over 1,000 homes from their solar farm, the profits from which are shared with their members and used to help fight fuel poverty on the Isle of Wight.

Laura Stichbury from the Footprint Trust said: “We are very grateful for the grant we have received from the Community Fund, and some 160 people will now be able to keep warm and well. We save most households around £300 on their utility bills.

“Every winter we come across pensioners and young families making the choice between heating and eating, often over-paying for their energy, and not understanding how to use heating systems to best effect.”

The Trust also highlighted that as a result of energy efficiency measures to be carried out carbon dioxide emissions had been cut by around 130 tonnes. To get help from the Footprint Trust please email them at info@footprint-trust.co.uk or call (01983) 822282.