Scottish Charity SC042123
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More than 2 years ago TL made an application for Climate Challenge Fund support to research the possibility of delivering a solar bulk scheme in the Linlithgow area. When we started this project in April 2010 little did we know how this would go. Would it be possible to achieve 20-25 installations?
2 years later we have a more definitive answer. It has been amazing. With over 150 solar thermal (hot water) installations during 2010-2011 and more then 160 solar PV installation for 2011-2012.
 Mosaic of pictures. Various PV installations Thanks to a great team effort within TL and a positive reaction from an interested public those projects have been a great success. In terms of value to the local economy it has added more then £2,000,000 in sold and installed systems. Well over a 1000 tonnes of saved carbon per year and a positive reduction in fuel and electricity bills.
It has been a lot of work for the TL team who gained a lot of knowledge. This knowledge has been excanged with other communities such as Transition West Kilbride, Transition Edinburgh South, Going Carbon Neutral Stirling, Callander Climate Change, REAP in Morayshire and many others. Housing Associations and councils are also looking with great interested what we have done over the last 2 years. You could say that the little seed which was planted with an initial pilot project has grown and multiplied all over Scotland. Isn’t that what the transition model is all about?
Of course TL is not finished yet. Manufacturers and installers costs are coming down, the Feed In Tariff (FIT) is changing and some of the pre-requisite rules for installation are also under review. Solar power (Thermal and PV) remains an attractive and suitable renewable technology for our area. Energy conservation should always be top priority and where possible, you should look to improve the insulation of walls, attics and underfloor.
If you are interested in an energy audit, renewable energy assessment for your home, business or community building, please give us a call and we will do our best to help. TL make no commission from our installations and are glad to offer free advice in the local area and beyond.
James Hiddinga, Tel: 01506 670433
Car clubs are becoming more and more popular as people discover the realities of the costs of owning a car or 2nd car. Depreciation, tax, fuel, repairs, insurance, MOT, servicing. Everything is getting more and more expensive. The simple alternative is a local car club. Owned by a community interest company and setup so that residents can hire it per hour or for the day. When you add up the cost of that car sitting on your drive for most of the week, you’ll realise the cost savings of switching.
Could we have a car club in Linlithgow ? Yes.
It’s easy to organise these days and there are many supporting organisations out there to assist with booking/key access/insurance etc. But that said, the balance of supply and demand is critical. There’s no point in setting up a scheme for a few households. The demand needs to be strong enough to cover the costs of the scheme and to invest a little for a replacement car over time.
So. Some initial market research first….
Click on the logo below to take you to a short on-line survey. Tell us if you are interested and how you might use a community owned car. The results of the survey will only be shared with Transition Linlithgow and CarPlus. CarPlus are helping TL with this survey and promotional leaflets.
 Click the logo above to take you the survey....
Some of the events and meetings planned for Feb and March so that you get a flavour of what’s on and know how to join in.
Thu 9th & Thu 16th Feb: Communi-TEA – 10am-12noon – a new series of local events which will pepper our daytime diary for the next 2-3 months. Centered around a wee cuppa, we plan to run a suite of daytime talks and films and we might also bring in the odd home-baked cake too. What could be nicer than an open chat over a range of topics with fellow residents. Meet new people, discuss a wide range of community issues…. All welcome. Space limited, Free. (cake) donations welcome.
Mon 20th Feb: General Meeting - 7:30pm at TL Advice Centre
Sat 25th Feb: Love Local Food – a fantastic chance to explore and enjoy local produce. more details to follow…. Venue: St. Michael’s Kirk Hall, The Cross. Enter via the car-park entrance.
Sun 4th Mar: Linlithgow – Our Future – 11:30 – 3:30 the 2nd of our big events this side of Easter. This one is a biggie….we’ve hired the Burgh Halls as a venue. What’s the future of our town? Who decides? Clearly as residents we need to have a voice and to share our ideas. How will we cope with rising energy prices, what jobs will we need to retain skills in the area?, where should our food come from?, how should we protect our natural and built environment?, how can we improve our health, etc.. Lots of big tough questions and many more. TL will partner with other organisations in town to facilitate this Big ASK?….
more details to follow…
Present Peter Roberts, William Ross, Alan Brown, Rose Hill, Sheila Redfern, Caroline Gibb, Julie Mainwood, John Flemming, Sheana Roberts, Peter Fairweather. Chris Milne, Kirsty Leonard
Apologies Sadie Flanagan, James Hiddinga, John Buckley
Peter welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted apologies from those people unable to attend that evening.
Continue reading General Meeting 16th January 2012 – Minutes
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