Poverty-hit Ayrshire area to be transformed into a 'climate village'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A poverty-hit community in Ayr is gearing up to be transformed into a ‘climate village’ to tackle deprivation, low employment rates and aid sustainability.Wallacetown will soon play host to a unique community-run renewable energy project, which will see school buildings boast solar panels to kick start the ambitious venture.The panels will generate energy that will offset energy costs in the area, reduce carbon emissions and/or provide an income stream by selling any excess energy back to the grid.It is hoped this income source can then be used to mitigate some of the impact of fuel poverty in Wallacetown.But solar panels is only the beginning, says project lead Alan Roseweir who is keen to develop the concept as the project grows.Education will be a key element for the Wallacetown Community Energy Project, with nearby schools - Newton and St Johns Primary and Wallacetown Early Years- learning about the project and being provided Photovoltaic activity kits to develop their STEM curriculum.Alan said: “It all links into future jobs, employment, the Ayrshire Growth deal - everything to do with Ayrshire.“We’ve got partners involved including Ayrshire College, Riverside Community Trust, and South Ayrshire Council, and we’ll expand on education in terms of engagement with the schools.“It’s quite unique, it’s not really been done before.

There’s various similar projects run across the UK but they involve private partners.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections