Twelve communities across the UK have been awarded up to £500,000 each to fit green energy devices, after winning the government's 'low carbon challenge'.The £10 million venture, launched in September last year, called on communities to become "national blueprints" for energy-regeneration and efficiency schemes.Each group will be advised by a team of experts from environmental groups such as WRAP about every aspect of creating a green community, including planning advice and custom low carbon plans for residents.Among the winners of the challenge are Exmoor National Park, Whitehill-Bordon in East Hampshire and Ladock and Grampound Road in mid-Cornwall. The low carbon challenge funding will be used to fund renewable energy projects and measures including community-owned hydropower turbines, eco-loans for residents and the installation of smart meters.Results from the two-year experiment could see the most successful schemes being rolled out on a national level. Energy and climate change minister Joan Ruddock said: "The huge enthusiasm for the Low Carbon Communities Challenge demonstrates that local people are passionate about building a low carbon future in the UK. Today's winners will act as a test bed for green action, and show us all what a greener future looks like."This sort of action is vital because over a quarter of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions come from heating, lighting and powering electrical appliances in our homes. By 2050 this needs to be almost zero and we can only achieve that through the creative initiative of local communities."http://tinyurl.com/ybsl6mj
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