As part of our commitment to reduce Norbar’s carbon footprint we are planning to install solar panels on the roof of our Wildmere Road property. An initiative which could generate up to 500 kW of renewable electricity. We will be doing the work in association with a not for profit organisation called the Low Carbon Hub (LCH). The LCH is a social enterprise based in Oxford, with a core aim of reducing carbon emissions across Oxfordshire. It works alongside businesses, schools and local communities to install manage and maintain renewable energy technologies.

The LCH scheme is very neat. From a company perspective it provides an opportunity to reduce your carbon emissions, contribute to the local community and save money all in one go! It works by sharing the financial benefits from the government feed in tariff between the LCH investors who have provided the funding to install the solar panels (or other renewable scheme), the business whose roof (in the case of solar panels) is used to mount the panels and local community schemes. So, in this way, Norbar gets the benefit of lower cost, renewable energy and also contributes to the funding of renewable schemes for schools and other community projects which further reduces carbon emissions so creating a virtuous cycle.

Being part of and contributing to the local community in which we live and work has always been important to Norbar. So, has being environmentally and socially responsible. The LCH scheme ticks all these boxes and saves us money too - surely three birds with one stone!

Catherine Rohll

Commercial Director