Doing what we can to reduce Henderson Hall’s carbon footprint is important to us and we are proud of our increasingly green credentials and the community effort that supports them. In 2011 Talybont Energy Group installed 8kW solar PV panels which provide a source of income and we have been able to draw on the energy produced for the hall’s electricity needs at the times the energy is produced. Talybont Energy Group also funded an air-to-air heat pump that produces 3 to 5 kilowatts of heat for every kilowatt of electricity it uses by extracting heat from the outside air.
 Bike Hub |
A Big Lottery grant provided funds to build a Bike hub, toilets and showers. A rainwater harvester tank collects rain water from the hall roof and stores it to be used for bike washing and toilet flushing.
In 2024 and with the support of a £41,500 grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund administered by Powys association of voluntary organisations (PAVO), we are delighted to have been able to build our green infrastructure through the installation of a new energy storage system. During daylight times when energy is being produced by our existing photovoltaic (pv) solar panels, the hall’s electricity use is usually very low. Up until now, this has meant that most of the electricity produced by the solar panels is exported to the national grid and could not be used by the hall during the evenings when energy needs are increased. The new system saves on-site generated electricity for use when it is needed. It will also allow for the storage of mains electricity drawn at off-peak times.
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The hall’s storeroom is now home to sixteen storage batteries, three inverters and a monitoring control system. This means the batteries will be the primary source of electricity for the hall’s amenities including lighting, kitchen appliances, audio visual equipment, air source heat pump system and rainwater harvester pump providing grey water for flushing the public toilets.
Volunteers are now exploring how we could secure further grant funding to maximise the benefits that the new system offers. For example, by installing additional solar panels, extending the air source heat pump into the Bikehub toilets and installing an electric boiler. We anticipate that converting from a gas to an electric boiler will reduce the equivalent emissions factor from 1.54 (for gas) to 0.207074 (for electricity). With gas use of 3,574 litres per annum, this change of energy source would save a further 4,800kg/year of CO2e.
We also hope to be able to make a positive contribution to the wider electrical vehicle charging infrastructure through installing charging points in the Hall carpark.
The new system will make a significant contribution to the hall’s financial viability. In January 2024, the hall’s electricity bill alone was £700 and has overall running costs of circa £20k per annum. Costs have increased significantly as public toilets in the area have closed and visitors are directed to the Hall’s Bikehub toilets and showers. The only external funding the hall receives is an annual grant of £1200 from Talybont on Usk Community Council. This means the hall is reliant on fundraising, hall hire income and donations to remain financially viable. Run entirely by volunteers, we are continually looking for ways to reduce costs. The Henderson Hall Committee is hugely grateful to PAVO for supporting this project and the wider support and guidance it provides for community buildings.