A Carmarthenshire venue has been given a green makeover to ensure that it is highly sustainable and ready to provide substantial benefits for the local community.
Over the lockdown period, Pencader Pavilion has seen substantial improvements to the building including energy efficiency measures and green features. The work, that has recently been completed, includes a new Solar PV Panels system with battery storage, electric heaters and LED lighting, making the pavilion low-carbon and slashing the running costs of the hall facility.
According to Pavilion Chairman, Emyr Morgan, the energy bills for heating and using the facility will be virtually nil. “We are very excited about these developments,” said Emyr, “it is very important that we endeavour to reduce our carbon emissions and cut our costs, to ensure less of an impact on the environment, financial sustainability for the Pavilion and a facility that will continue to benefit the community for many, many years to come.”
Following an energy survey by Glas Energy, commissioned by Brechfa West Wind Farm Community Fund, the report recommended the installation of Solar PV panels and battery storage helping to ensure that the hall has ultra-low energy costs going forward.
Ynni Sir Gâr Community Fund funded the installation of the new heating, LED lighting and battery storage carried out by local contactor KA Electrical. The solar panels will also help power the new Dolen Teifi Community Electric Vehicle which will be recharged from green energy from the PV solar panels. The electric charge point will be available for local users to recharge their electric vehicles.
“We were pleased to fund this excellent project with a grant of almost £24k,” said Neil Lewis of Ynni Sir Gâr. “The environmental and social benefits of the project are immense and we were pleased to collaborate with the community of Pencader to provide this investment in renewables and in a rural community such as Pencader.”
Works have recently come to completion and it is hoped that the Pencader Pavilion will be bustling with life again post-Covid 19. Brechfa Wind Farm West is funding further works to replace windows and doors at the building to complete the revamp.
www.brechfawestcommunityfund.org.uk