Deputy Minister visits school low carbon heat development

Welsh Government Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS recently viewed the impact of a major secondary school low carbon heat project.

Mr Irranca- Davies, who is also Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, visited Ysgol Brynhyfryd to hear about the benefits of work by the Council’s Energy team at the education site for pupils and staff.

Martyn Smith, Property Energy and Carbon Manager, presented the background of the project to the Deputy First Minister, which saw two new 50kW air source heat pumps which are housed in a new compound on the grounds replace end of life gas boilers and consequently their direct emissions from burning the gas.

This technology turns one unit of energy into three units of low carbon heat by using ambient environmental temperature and can utilise some of the output from solar panels to do this, further reducing cost and emissions.

This heatpump element of the project was 90 percent funded by the Welsh Government through their low carbon heat grant and supported by the Welsh Government Energy Service. Deputy Minister visits school low carbon heat development

Other work on site included an additional two solar PV arrays, LED lighting and a multi-zoned building management system was funded by the Council, giving the school a total of three arrays generating a total of close to 100kW.

During the Deputy First Minister’s visit, the clear skies and summer sun helped the PV arrays generate enough electricity for the school not to need local grid support.

In addition to support lower energy use and the reduction of long-term costs, LED lighting was also installed which can reduce lighting electricity consumption by at least 50 percent.

The Deputy First Minister was provided with a tour around the school to see the physical side of the work which was completed in April 2024 and estimates to save over £25,000 each year alongside carbon savings of nearly 36,000 tonnes annually.

Denbighshire County Council’s Energy Team has managed several projects across Council buildings, including school premises to improve building energy efficiency and also support the reduction of carbon emissions and usage costs over the longer term.

This continuing work is part of the Council’s drive to address the climate and nature emergency declared in 2019 and reduce its own carbon footprint.