GREEN GRANT HELPS LOCAL COMPANY IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY

A £20,000 grant from Derbyshire County Council’s ‘Green Entrepreneurs Programme’* has helped local company Longcliffe Quarries Ltd improve its sustainability through a reduction in energy consumption of 137,500 Kilowatts per year. The company, which operates two limestone quarries near Matlock in Derbyshire, used the grant to make up the funding required to install three new electrical power ‘inverters’ to control the fan systems at its Brassington Moor Quarry. The fan pulls air through a mill to separate out different sizes of high purity calcium carbonate mineral for use in products such as animal feed, adhesives and fertilisers. By installing this new technology, the fans now run at a slower speed, but are equally as effective as the previous mechanical equipment, saving on electricity consumption and delivering a reduction in carbon footprint for the company of 32,056 Kg carbon dioxide per year. Longcliffe Quarries Ltd Development Director Ian McDonald hosted a visit from representatives from Derbyshire County Council and the University of Derby to see the new equipment at work. He said: “The funding from the Green Entrepreneurs Programme enabled us to go ahead with this project to retrofit ‘inverters’ on our powders processing plant fan systems. As predicted, by installing this newer technology, we have been able to significantly reduce our electricity usage, and in turn help reduce our carbon footprint.” Councillor Tony King, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, said: “Longcliffe was one of the first local businesses to receive a grant from the Green Entrepreneurs Programme and it’s great to see their carbon-cutting project having such a positive impact. “We’re committed to helping Derbyshire become a net-zero county by 2050 and the Green Entrepreneurs Programme is helping many local businesses to play their part in achieving this ambitious target to help tackle climate change.” Mark Wheddon, Head of Delivery for the Green Entrepreneurs Programme, said: “The University of Derby is delighted to have supported Longcliffe Quarries Ltd with the Green Entrepreneurs Programme grant award and we look forward to working with them on further collaborative opportunities for additional carbon reduction measures in the future.” *What is the Green Entrepreneurs Programme? The Green Entrepreneurs Programme is Derbyshire County Council’s £2 million grant fund programme run in collaboration with the University of Derby to help businesses, organisations communities and individuals interested in developing skills in the green economy and investing in green energy and carbon reduction schemes. https://www.derby.ac.uk/business-services/funding/green-entrepreneurs-programme/