The UK’s largest regional airline, Loganair, has announced that it will award a further £30,000(approx. USD 33,546.60) to organisations across the UK and Northern Ireland in support of local renewable energy projects as part of its Greenskies Community Fund.
As part of the airlines journey to net-zero by 2040, earlier this year, the airline distributed £5,000(approx. USD 5,591.10) grants to six companies across Scotland, supporting them to establish projects such as small-scale wind systems, solar panels, small-scale hydro power, and charging point stations for electric vehicles.
Luke Lovegrove, chief commercial officer at Loganair, said: “Following the distribution of the GreenSkies grants earlier this year, we have seen fantastic progress amongst the projects that received funding. “As we continue to drive forward our GreenSkies programme to offset carbon emissions and develop future flight technologies, we also want to encourage and support like-minded organisations in communities we serve, in our shared aim for a greener future” “We are thrilled that we have been able to support the efforts of organisations across Scotland and can now take this a step further with additional money that helps those across other parts of the country as they also tackle carbon emissions.”
Building on the success of the first round of funding, the airline now hopes to support more projects with further grants. Applications for round two of the Community Fund scheme are now invited and the airline has extended the eligibility to organisations in other parts of the country as it builds on its commitment to serving regions across the UK and Northern Ireland. Scottish organisations will see a further £10,000 (approx. USD 11,156.80) of funding, surplus to the £30,000 (approx. USD 33,546.60) already awarded earlier this year. Additionally, £20,000 (approx. USD 22,349.80) is also being made available to support renewable energy projects in some of Loganair’s wider areas of operation including Southampton, Newcastle, Isle of Man and City of Derry.
Among previous successful applicants was Eday Community Enterprises, a community-owned shop on one of Orkney’s smaller islands, Eday. The Shop has used its Greenskies Community grant to purchase energy efficient freezers. Richard Shaw, Chair of the Shop’s Management Committee commented: “The money received from Loganair was very much appreciated. While it specifically went towards the purchase of new, efficient upright freezers, this was an essential part of a much bigger, transformational project – to make the Eday Community Shop financially sustainable and to create a real community hub there.”
Isle of Lewis’ Macaulay College, a not-for-profit community interest company which supports adults and young people with additional social and educational requirements, has used their Greenskies Community grant to invest in solar energy. The installation of solar panels will help to ensure that clean energy is the primary source for the building – a big first step in fulfilling a longstanding wish for solar energy to be introduced across the island.
Development Worker from Macaulay College said: “We were delighted to be successful in being awarded the GreenSkies Community Fund grant from Loganair earlier this year. We are using the monies to install new solar panels which will make a huge difference for our energy bills this winter as well as give us a cleaner source of power going forward.”
Another recipient was Islay Development Initiative who have committed the funding to new air source heating within Bowmore Community Hall which is being installed in early November.
Thomasina Glover CEO of Islay Development Initiative added: “It’s fantastic to see lifeline organisations such as Loganair donating to benefit the communities they serve, but this is made even better with the strong green ethos. By helping community groups to move towards net zero in the face of an energy crisis, we are able to offer new projects such as Warm Spaces which will benefit the whole community.”
Loganair’s GreenSkies programme was launched in July 2021 with the introduction of a small mandatory carbon offsetting charge levied on all flights, with the money invested in accredited offsetting schemes.
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