A PUBLIC park in Edinburgh has turned even greener after installing a hydro-electric scheme and two ground-source heat pumps to power and warm its buildings.
Carbon dioxide emissions from Saughton Park are expected to be cut by the equivalent of 90 tonnes thanks to the new equipment.
City of Edinburgh Council will also cut its energy bill by £18,000 a year, with councillors promising to spend the money on social and education facilities in the park.
Heat from the pumps will warm the park’s buildings, café and glasshouse, while electricity from the screws on the Water of Leith will be used in the park.
The project received nearly £500,000 from ScottishPower (SP) Energy Networks’ £20 million Green Economy Fund and £180,000 from the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland programme.
Frank Mitchell, chief executive at SP Energy Networks, said: “This project not only provides cleaner air for local people in Edinburgh, it also leads the way for other greenspaces around the world which can use it as a blueprint for success.”
Councillor Donald Wilson, culture and communities convener at City of Edinburgh Council, added: “The completion of this incredible project makes it the UK’s first eco-powered greenspace, proving that modern technology can be introduced to historic public parks.”
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