Have you got the energy to do something about it?

Charcoal maker at work

Rural Wales is being hit hard by rising energy costs.  A recent survey on the Llŷn found that 75% of households are in or at risk of fuel poverty, with the average household’s heating bill 65% higher than the UK average.  There are ways to heat and power homes which are not vulnerable to oil and gas prices and many businesses and families in Snowdonia are starting to use them.  

How much does it cost? Can it pay for itself? What effects has it had? Profiad Ni’s Open Doors Trail features 20 buildings across Snowdonia where visitors can see features like solar panels, heat pumps, biomass boilers, solar hot water systems and more. 

The Open Doors Trail will take place from the 24th to the 26th of May and is preceded by a week of shorter events (18th - 24th of May) including an Energy Bills Drop-in Clinic in Bangor, a tour of Derwydd farm in Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr which generates renewable electricity and a workshop on how to start community or privately owned hydro electricity projects at Plas Tan y Bwlch.  The full events timetable is available at www.ProfiadNi.org.

For my part I will be running a Natur Cymru / Snowdonia Society stall at the Green Shoots Sustainability Fair in Penrhyndeudraeth, Neuadd Goffa, from 10am till 4pm on Saturday 18^th May and showing people around at Tŷ Hyll on Friday 24^th May.