Trent Basin among British Renewable Energy Awards 2022 winners
The Trent Basin green energy initiative, which was led by experts in the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering and delivered by Blueprint, has been named a winner at the British Renewable Energy Awards 2022.
The British Renewable Energy Awards, run by the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, celebrate the next ‘game changers’ and recognise the work of organisations and individuals pushing for system change to help the UK meet its target of becoming Net-Zero by 2050.
Trent Basin scooped up this year’s ‘Community’ category which celebrates community groups that have been active in delivering a renewable energy project or programme of installations in their local area. The pioneering community, which currently features 76 low-carbon homes and an energy scheme that enables residents to generate, store and use solar electricity, was part of the regeneration of 250 acres of brownfield sites on the banks of the River Trent, just outside the city centre of Nottingham.
Trent Basin consists of community solar energy generation, Europe’s largest community energy battery and a hub with a digital twin of the development where residents and visitors can visualise the site’s energy usage and generation, allowing them to better understand their role in saving energy and helping mitigate climate change. As well, as modern design, each participating home is equipped state of art wireless smart energy monitoring and control equipment, including voice-activated technology.
Samantha Veal, chief executive of Blueprint, said: “Winning this award is a fantastic achievement and a true testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team involved. Blueprint homes always place high-quality design and thermal, sustainable performance at the top of the list, so working with the University to create the Trent Basin green energy initiative has been a fantastic and fruitful experience. The partnership has meant that we can use the latest industry insights and technology to continue to provide homes that perform to the highest standards for our Trent Basin community, especially at a time when energy efficiency is of paramount importance for householders.”
Blueprint partnered early on with the University to develop the Trent Basin vision and push the boundaries in terms of energy efficiency targets in a commercially viable development in Nottingham
Lucelia Rodrigues, Professor in Sustainable and Resilient Cities, said: “I am delighted our scheme has received such important recognition. This is a result of a decade of efforts from various parties and very effective partnerships. Most importantly, this is a recognition of the most important asset the project has – an active community.”
Mark Gillott, Professor of Sustainable Building Design, added: “A key part of the scheme is the innovative ways of managing the energy assets, both financially and technically. Our pioneering business models and control systems are helping to advance the integration of renewable energy into communities, making UK Net Zero carbon targets more viable.”