Mayor Launches Sunningdale Parish Council's Green Energy Scheme

Sunningdale Parish Council is raising the sustainability banner in the local area, not only installing its own renewable energy sources but also launching a community-wide drive to encourage local people to 'think green'.

The council's new log boiler and solar thermal panels were launched by Mayor of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Cllr Jesse Grey,  on Friday 11 September at the Parish Council Office, Broomhall Lane, Sunningdale. The occasion marked the start of SUS'S Sustainable Sunningdale - a partnership with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's Learning for Sustainability (LfS) programme to encourage people to cut their use of carbon fuels. See below for  the list of SUSs, five of which everyone is being asked to try.  See left for the Council offices/pavilion, sporting its new solar panels.

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Christine Gadd, Chairman of Sunningdale Parish Council, said:  "We hope the parish council's own renewable energy initiative will raise awareness and prompt local people to think about how they too can make a difference.  Every little helps when it comes to saving our planet's precious resources - and by acting together we can turn the little into a lot!"

Thanks to a Big Lottery grant, the council commissioned a feasibility study into the best type of renewable energy for its needs. The wood fuelled boiler was assessed to be more effective than wind or ground source heat, given the council's access to freely-donated wood and the human resource to manage the wood. This has been tied in to solar panels on the roof to supply hot water in the spring and summer when heat from wood boiler is not required.  

Pictured Right: The Wood Burning Boiler (photo courtesy of Mark Courage of Encompass Financial Management )

The installations have been achieved with assistance from Big Lottery grants – Community Sustainable Energy Programme and the Low Carbon Building Programme - and a grant from EDF Energy.

As part of the sustainability work of the Royal Borough, Sunningdale’s renewable energy helps towards the national goal of achieving 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020.

SUS'S is asking everyone to commit to at least five simple actions such as turning off the lights when they leave the room and turning off equipment instead of leaving it on standby.  These commitments should then be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or posted to the Pavilion, Broomhall Lane, Sunningdale SL5 0QS so that the council can track the numbers supporting the campaign.

Anne Martin, the Clerk, said:  "Our ambition is to have at least 500 people commit to the challenges and encourage even more to take part."

Commitment sheets will be distributed from 11 September and continue through Carnival (13 September) and during the Festival week (13-20 September).  Other ideas and initiatives will follow in conjunction with the Royal Borough and other community ideas to continue to improve CO2 savings.

The Worshipful Mayor of the Royal Borough, Cllr Jesse Grey, wth Sunningdale Parish Council Chairman, Cllr Christine Gadd, at the Green Energy Launch