As Directors of a solar energy project, we always look forward to Spring as the days get longer and our panels see more sunshine.  This year it feels particularly optimistic as the vaccines roll out and the prospect of seeing friends outside in the warm weather is on the horizon.

Solar performance in the previous quarter
October to December is not the sunniest time of the year, so we don’t expect to generate a lot of electricity.  Our monitoring system shows that during this period in 2020 we generated 24MWh across our 9 solar arrays, saving 6 tonnes of CO₂.

This brings the total for life of the project to 700MWh, enough to make over 38 million cups of tea, saving almost 200 tonnes CO₂!

Community Fund
At GMCR’s AGM in September 2020, members agreed to donate £6,000 to a community fund to be used for carbon reduction and/or environmental education. This is made up of GMCR profits and donations from our members. We’re offering £1,000 each to our first 6 sites to spend on carbon reduction and environmental education projects.

In 2020, we presented Fiddlers Lane Primary School with a cheque for £1,000 from the previous year’s Community Fund award.  The school has spent it on recycling facilities and camera bird boxes. 

GMCR Energy Savers
GMCR is offering energy saving advice and support to parents, teachers and local families.  If you live in Irlam and Cadishead, Ordsall, Swinton, Little Hulton, Monton, Partington or Chesham and would like to speak to someone in confidence about your energy bills, or just want to find out how you can keep warm and reduce your carbon footprint, you can call the team of Groundwork Green Doctors on 0800 090 3638 or email energyworks@groundwork.org.uk.  Simply quote GMCR as a reference to access your free personalised advice.

Now that the roadmap out of lockdown has been published, we’re looking forward to arranging energy saving events and activities in summer. Watch this space!