Amber Rudd toured the estate and saw the new biomass heating system which provides around 75 per cent of its heating. The biomass boilers use wood from the estate to heat the castle, shop and offices.
They have replaced the old oil-based system saving 19,500 litres of oil each year, 52 tonnes of CO2 and removed the risk of contamination from oil leaks. Heating bills have been cut by £6000 each year.
Getting off oil
Our rural enterprises director, Patrick Begg, said: “It is testament to the importance of such programmes that the Energy Secretary wanted to come to Croft to see the benefits this pilot project, supported by government funding, has made to our renewables work.
“As well as the castle, office and shop becoming self-sufficient in heat, by using wood fuel sourced directly from Croft's 1500 acre parkland, we are also creating better, bigger habitats and improving nature conservation.”
