TWO non-profit organisations have joined forces to turn parts of the UK into renewable energy microgeneration hot spots.

North-East company Community Energy Solutions (CES) and Renewables East have completed a tendering process for suppliers of air-towater heat pumps.

Both parties aim to bring affordable and environmentally- friendly warmth into up to 2,500 homes that do not have access to the existing gas supply network by introducing renewable heating systems and insulation measures into whole communities.

The contracts, for the supply and distribution of air source heat pumps, are worth an estimated £3.75m and will result in the lives of a large number of households being improved by providing a cleaner and more cost-effective source of space heating and domestic hot water, reducing the carbon footprint of whole regions.

Air-to-water-heat pumps provide a low carbon, cost effective heating solution by extracting the heat from outside air and using it to heat homes.

Chris Leek, CES chief executive, said: “This will serve to drive forward our agenda to make a real difference to the carbon footprint of communities across much of England as well as help the UK meet its target of 15 per cent of its energy coming from renewables by 2020.

“With a tender this size, we have been able to purchase the air source heat pumps in bulk, thus reducing the cost massively and enabling us to pass on this saving to communities.”

CES has already helped thousands of people across the North-East, Yorkshire and Humber by installing air-towater heat pumps into communities that have no access to the mains gas network, where previously householders had been forced to rely on carbon-rich heating and hot water systems.