The network will use waste heat from cooling in buildings like Plymouth Pavilions and Moxy Hotel for heating nearby buildings, reducing emissions. Where necessary this is topped up with other renewable sources of heat.

On top of British renewables, energy imports from France and Norway contributed to the decline in fossil fuels, due to their generation from nuclear and hydroelectric.

Credit: Image by Pixabay on Pexels

By providing a safe, off-road route more people will be encouraged to walk and cycle to work, place of education or in their leisure time which can help save money, while also improving health and the local environment.

The beavers will be monitored to gain an understanding of their behaviour and the resulting landscape changes. It is hoped that their presence will help reduce downstream flooding and increase biodiversity.

Photo by Denitsa Kireva

The plans include new offshore breakwaters, raising the level of East Beach and new rock groynes.

EDDC anticipate that the project would protect approximately 200 residential and commercial properties from sea flooding and coastal erosion

The innovative, modular houses, built in partnership with Zed Pods Ltd, have been delivered and lifted into position. Work took place in September of last year on the foundations and services to allow for delivery of the homes in December.

The site, which is owned by Mid Devon Council, used to be garages and car parking and will accommodate eight self-contained residential units of between one-bedroom and three-bedroom. The homes will have triple glazing and solar panel.

Zac Goodall, Head of Sustainability at Riverford, told us:

"Riverford is aiming to achieve net-zero operational carbon emissions by 2030. Our major decarbonisation activities target transport, electricity use, and refrigeration.

We're progressing by electrifying our diesel van fleet, targeting 50% electrification over the next year, with 100% by 2026. We have been installing solar panels on rooftops around the business, with 420 kW installed in 2023, and plans for an additional 280 kW in 2024. Combined with our existing solar array, this powers the equivalent of 350 UK homes yearly.

Addressing refrigeration's impact, we're replacing standard equipment with CO2-charged alternatives, reducing emissions by minimizing refrigerant gas leakage. On Riverford farms we have been establishing new hedgerows, planting woodlands and agroforestry, and trialling methods to reduce tillage of the soil, to enable greater carbon sequestration.

In 2022 we kicked off a carbon sequestration initiative with Ripple Effect, our charity partner, which involved a community tree planting initiative, planting 45,000 fruit trees across smallholder farms in Ethiopia, which will sequester 27,000 tCO2e over 15 years."

Image credit: Riverford Organics

January 10th & 17th, 2024, 9:30 - 12:00

January 11th, 10:00 - 11:30

Get your bike ready for 2024 and make use of the Hub's tools and space. Knowledge of bike maintenance required as this session is self supported.

No booking is required for the Bike Kitchen.

This project is helping farm businesses maximise their potential and productivity through regenerative and innovative methods and practices. Running in West Devon Borough Council and South Hams District Council areas only, the project works with farmers who are open to and enthusiastic about embracing new ideas, methods, equipment, and processes. They are supported to identify their farm’s unique potential, viable opportunities and undertake actions to develop and deliver an Innovation Plan.

Places are limited in this project: any farmers interested in taking part must complete an Expressions of Interest form.

Photo by Trinity Kubassek, Pexels

19th January, 12:00 - 13:00, Online

The University of Plymouth’s Innovation Funding Team together with Enterprise Solutions are hosting a series of free, business-information sessions. These online events will show how different businesses can benefit from a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project and explore other services for business that are available from the University.  Registration open to UK businesses only.