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Work on our £25m project with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is taking shape as we work towards completion at Nottingham City Hospital by the end of the year.

Nottingham City Hospital was the last coal-run hospital site in the UK, so we’ve installed energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies to replace the aged gas and coal fired boilers, and have replaced the old laundry building with a brand-new energy centre. When demolishing the laundry building, we had to ensure the underground plantroom, service ducts and live services running under the demolition area were not affected.

The 287kW solar PV arrays on the roof spaces are installed, commissioned, and now supply electricity to the hospital, and the 350kW air source heat pumps are in situ and ready to be commissioned. We’ve upgraded 6,626 lights across the hospital to LED fittings, which not only reduces energy consumption, but enhances the patient experience in both the wards and common areas too.

We’ve also installed 1.1km of new pipework in the underground service ducts which supply steam, condensate, and low temperature hot water pipework to 36 plantrooms. During the installation, we ensured service of supply was not interrupted and that there was a seamless changeover.

Once complete, this project will reduce the Trust’s carbon footprint by 14,000 tonnes a year, and guarantee energy savings of at least £1.3m a year for the Nottingham City Hospital.

Read more about the project here.

NHS Tayside are continuing their ambitious decarbonisation works with a major energy efficiency scheme which will revolutionise how they generate and use energy across three of their sites whilst saving an estimated 3,427 tonnes of carbon emissions over the project’s life expectancy.

The project, which is scheduled for completion by Spring 2025, will see a range of energy conservation measures installed, each designed to deliver maximum carbon savings:

• 269 rooftop solar PV panels across three sites, generating a total of139kWp.
• 5 heat pumps installed across three buildings, with a total output of 300kW.  These will also include 20,000l of combined thermal storage.
• Improved insulation to reduce heat loss.
• Upgraded heating controls for optimised energy use.
• Replacement of 9 doors and 124 windows across two of the buildings.
• Upgrading 382 light fittings to modern LED fittings and installing intelligent controls.

Works will be carried out at Abbey Health Centre in Arbroath, Westgate Health Centre in Dundee and St. Margaret’s Hospital in Auchterader, Perthshire.  Crucially, Vital Energi will deliver an energy performance contract which guarantees key performance indicators such as financial and carbon savings.  All savings will be independently verified by a third party as part of the contract.

The works are aligned with the Scottish Government’s target for public sector organisations reaching net zero by 2040 and eliminating fossil fuelled heating by 2038.  The project has received £3.2m in funding from the Green Public Sector Estate Decarbonisation Scheme (GPSEDS).

This new project follows a major 18-month scheme delivered by Vital Energi in 2015 where we delivered energy upgrades across several of NHS Tayside’s sites including a major energy centre upgrade at Ninewells Hospital and energy conservation measures at Perth Royal Infirmary and Stracathro Hospital.

Teams from Vital Energi and Parkinsons support community, Northern Lights, returned to the pitch last week to take part in our annual walking football tournament at Witton Park, Blackburn.

The tournament is in its third consecutive year, and once again, Northern Lights (NLPD) took home the trophy. NLPD A team took the top spot and Vital Energi Team C finished as runners-up.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part, whether you played in the tournament, cheered from the sidelines, or took part in the raffle, which raised an amazing £426 for the charity.

Vital Energi’s Chairman, Gary Fielding, was at the tournament cheering from the sidelines.

“It was fantastic to see teams from Vital and Northern Lights take to the pitch for our third annual walking football tournament,” said Gary. “It was great to see the energy, camaraderie, and team spirit from both sides from start to finish.

“As part of our five-year sponsorship commitment, it’s fantastic to be able to support events like this, not just for the fun, but for the incredible charity behind it and raising awareness of Parkinson’s. Maybe next year, we’ll be celebrating with the trophy too!”

We’ve received lots of lovely messages from Northern Lights members which shows that this tournament is definitely a highlight of their year.

“Norman and I would like to thank Vital Energi for their hospitality as always, your support for our group is truly outstanding and is very much appreciated. Our lads love taking part in this tournament and look forward to it each year, the camaraderie that takes place within all teams is amazing they are made to feel so welcome,” said Mary Stead, Trustee of the charity whose husband Norman was diagnosed with Parkinsons 14 years ago.

Steve Ashworth, member of NLPD who helped establish the relationship with Vital Energi, said:

“I have to say it is an absolute pleasure to be involved with, and great to see all the guys catching up on the business and personal exploits from the previous 12 months. The respect shown by all, really is second to none…..long may that continue. In that regard, we are all thankful to Gary for allowing the game to take place. And so, another successful tournament has been celebrated, and we now look forward to the 2026 event.”

A special thank you to Asif Asvat who organised the teams and delivered a great speech at the beginning of the tournament.

“My highlight was definitely giving the opening speech to everyone at the start of the tournament and just seeing another successful, friendly tournament come together,” said Asif. “It was a great atmosphere all round!”

Based in the North West, NLPD is a self-funded, voluntary organisation which offers support and help to people with Parkinson’s disease – a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination – and brings people together by introducing them to the joys of walking football.

A great way to stay fit and potentially relieve some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s, walking football also allows participants to learn new skills and make friends with those in a similar situation.

Find out more about NLPD by clicking here.

Teams from Vital Energi and Parkinson’s support community, Northern Lights, took to the pitch in a walking football tournament at Witton Park, Blackburn on Friday 26^th July, a highlight for everyone involved for the second consecutive year.

Based in the North West, Northern Lights (NLPD) is a self-funded, voluntary organisation which offers support and help to people with Parkinson’s disease – a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination – and brings people together by introducing them to the joys of walking football.

A great way to stay fit and potentially relieve some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s, walking football also allows participants to learn new skills and make friends with those in a similar situation.

As part of Vital Energi’s commitment to sponsoring the team for the next five years, and after last year’s successful tournament, almost 30 Vital players took to the pitch against teams from NLPD’s walking football club.

Six teams battled it out, and following an intense penalty shootout, NLPDs’ B team was crowned the worthy winner.

Steve Ashworth, member of NLPD who helped establish the relationship with Vital Energi and organised the tournament, said:

“We approached Gary Fielding, back in April 2023 to talk about a possible sponsorship of NLPD. The 2023 football tournament schedule was forecast to be a busy year for NLPD and had the potential to be successful in our quest for trophies.

“Whilst the actual day to day activities can be considered to be miles apart, Vital Energi and NLPD share the same values. They both have a desire and drive to be the best at what they do, in their respective roles within the renewable energy and charitable sectors.

“The inaugural NLPD v Vital Energi match in 2023 set off a relationship that we envisage to be successful for the long term. Whilst there was a significant age difference between the players, there was obvious mutual respect, and that respect has followed through to this year. The guys at Northern Lights are still buzzing about the tournament last week, what a superb day it was.

“NLPD are scheduled to travel to Oslo in September where we’ll be playing against Parkinson’s walking football teams from across Europe to win the Ray Kennedy Cup.”

NLPD Player Spotlight

As a family with their five children, Christine and Keith McIndoe have been living with Parkinson’s for the last 12 years, and through the support of NLPD and an innovative brain implant, they have finally seen light at the end of the tunnel.

Keith, aged 44, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 12 years ago, and after trying all the medication available to no avail and losing his job as he couldn’t control the symptoms, he was put forward for deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, which has transformed his outlook on life.

DBS surgery is where fine wires that are inserted into specific areas of the brain, connected to a pulse generator, and when switched on, the electrodes deliver high-frequency stimulation to the targeted area. This stimulation changes some of the electrical signals in the brain that cause the symptoms of Parkinson’s.

“Myself and Keith have been together for 22 years, and the last 12 have really put us to the test as a family,” said Christine. “Keith took the role of stepdad to my eldest children, and grandad to their children, and we also have two boys together, Josh (21) and Lewis (17), both with DiGeorge and Autism.

“Since the successful surgery in 2022, Keith has a completely new lease of life. We’ve fallen back in love, we’ve have just got married following Keith’s proposal last December. And we can’t wait for our honeymoon in Norway in September with the rest of the Northern Lights team!

“NLPD is our family. They have changed our lives, provided us with endless support, we’ve made friends, and are now doing things we didn’t think possible, like going on holiday, and playing in walking football tournaments in Glasgow. If anyone is down or feeling they can’t cope there always someone at NLPD to pick you back up!

“A Parkinson’s diagnosis is not the end, but the beginning. No matter what you have on in your life, we can still fight and continue to be happy!”

During the tournament, the tombola and raffle raised £335. This will go towards the running of the charity, and ensure members like Christine and Keith have a safe haven with unlimited support.

Find out more about NLPD by clicking here.

We opened our training academy to educate and train the green workforce of the future…

…so were delighted to welcome staff from the 107-year-old Duncan McInnes Ltd for a four day session designed to give them an introduction to district heating network design and installation.

The training programme saw them cover essential areas such as materials and equipment used, correct design, handling and storage of materials and correct welding techniques.

“We enjoy working with organisations such as Duncan McInnes Ltd who demonstrate a passion and pride in their work and a commitment to improving their skills. The company has a 100+ year history and it is fantastic to see them still striving to learn the newest skills and techniques. We are pleased that our Training Academy is playing a role in delivering these essential skills.”

Duncan McInnes, Operations Manager at Duncan McInnes Ltd, said:

“From initial discussions on District Heating networks, right the way through to undertaking training at Vital Energi’s state of the art training facility, we have been highly impressed by the professionalism and attention to detail shown by all at Vital Energi.”

“District Heating networks are becoming increasingly important in the drive toward a cleaner, greener future both locally and nationally, and we are delighted to have been asked to undertake training within the new, purpose built training academy at Vital Energi HQ in order to understand the processes behind the design and installation of the network system.”

The four-day course encompassed classroom and workshop-based training, as well as a day on a live Vital Energi project to give the trainees a well-rounded experience of district heating.

The Solar PV installation at Tudor Grange Leisure Centre is now complete, marking another major milestone in Solihull’s low-carbon journey. The 388 panels can generate 174.6kWp in clean electricity, while reducing the leisure centre’s electricity costs by approximately £28,000 per year.

The installation, which was funded by Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) is projected to supply 21% of the leisure centre’s annual electricity needs. Whilst 90% of the zero-carbon electricity generated will be utilised for the leisure centre, any surplus energy generated during peak times will be exported to Solihull’s nearby energy centre, which is currently under construction in Tudor Grange Park. The exported electricity will be used to run powerful air source heat pumps at the energy centre and distributed to other local buildings via the new energy network.

Solihull’s wider low-carbon energy network project will provide heat and power to public and private sector customers, including Council-owned buildings and education campuses. This innovative new network will help to reduce fuel bills and future-proof against changes in customer energy needs. It is intended that future phases will then connect other buildings in the town centre and link to planned commercial or residential developments in line with the Council’s Town Centre Masterplan.

Elsewhere, enabling works for the new energy network are in full swing, with pipework being laid through Tudor Grange Park and along Homer Road. Work is also progressing at pace at the all-important energy centre, where the building’s steel framework is taking shape.

Officers and Members from Westmorland and Furness Council and Vital Energi gathered at the new 2MW solar farm at Sandscale Park in Barrow to celebrate the project’s official completion.

The solar farm is a first for the council and the renewable energy project marks a key milestone in their ongoing efforts to combat climate change and meet their Net Zero targets.

The site, which has been successfully completed in six months, will generate green electricity to offset the council’s carbon emissions, in line with its Carbon Management Strategy and Climate Action Plans. It is the first of more schemes to come as part of the council’s wider decarbonisation programme of work.

Thanks to almost 3,700 solar panels, the site is expected to generate enough electricity to power the council’s five leisure centres or approximately 730 homes per year, based upon average UK households, also delivering significant carbon savings.

The completion of the project is a significant step forward in the council’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainability in response to the growing challenges posed by climate change. In addition to contributing to the council’s income generation, the solar farm will mitigate rising energy costs and enhance the council’s energy sovereignty, independence and security, providing a robust solution for future energy needs.

The scheme was delivered in collaboration with the council’s strategic partner Electricity North West, main contractor Vital Energi, and specialist advisors Green Cat Renewables. The site is now connected to the national grid and generating electricity.

Climate change remains one of the greatest challenges to this generation, and for many generations to come. It is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and humanity globally, with the devastating impacts of it already seen and experienced in Westmorland and Furness.

In recognition of this, the project included plans to enhance biodiversity at the site. A Biodiversity Enhancement Plan ensured a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain, creating opportunities for pollinators and enhancing woodland, hedgerows, and habitats.

Councillor Giles Archibald, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, added:

“This solar farm is a landmark achievement, not just for our council but for Cumbria as a whole. We already have solar panels on several of our buildings but this marks the first time we have harnessed the natural power of the sun at this scale and is a proud step forward in our fight against climate change.

“It is a project which ensures that the natural environment thrives alongside our efforts to generate green energy and I’m pleased to see biodiversity has been a key consideration. A range of native tree and hedge species have been planted as well as habitats created to support our rich local wildlife including pollinators, bats and a variety of birds such as house sparrows, wagtails, nuthatch and redstarts. I look forward to seeing how else we can make effective and efficient use of our assets on our journey to carbon net zero.”

Manchester’s new Tower of Light structure has been officially switched on, marking a milestone in the development of the city’s new Civic Quarter Heat Network. 

Owned by the Council and built by Vital Energi, the focal point of the Civic Quarter Heat Network is the 40m Tower of Light, which will be lit up every night. The tower will be a striking new landmark in the city centre and be the most visible manifestation of the network, which will provide heating and electricity to some of Manchester city centre’s most iconic buildings. The network, which will go live early next year, will help them to reduce their carbon emissions and support the city’s transition to zero carbon by 2038.

Using low carbon power generated in an energy centre located underneath the railway arches by Manchester Central, the network will serve the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Central Convention Complex, Central Library, Heron House, Manchester Art Gallery and Manchester Town Hall and Town Hall extension buildings via 2km of underground pipes.

And the network will also have the capacity to connect to other buildings in the vicinity – both existing and future, whether public or private-owned – helping them to reduce their carbon footprints too.

Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment for Manchester City Council, said:

“The Civic Quarter Heat Network is a trailblazing system which demonstrates Manchester’s determination to cut our carbon emissions.

“As a Council we are committed to playing our full part in limiting the impacts of climate change as the city strives to become zero carbon by 2038 – at least 12 years ahead of the national target.

“It’s a complex challenge but ambitious projects such as this network show that we are taking action to rise to it. As well as looking beautiful, we hope that the Tower of Light will be a beacon for this kind of work.”

The network has an efficient combined heat and power engine which captures and re-uses heat created as a by-product of producing electricity. Although initially fuelled by natural gas, there are plans to further reduce its carbon footprint as alternative measures and fuel supplies become available including the use of biomethane and the potential introduction of hydrogen into the fuel mix in 2024

The project received Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) funding, which is delivered by Triple Point Networks Investment Management on behalf of the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Ken Hunnisett, Project Director for Triple Point Heat Networks, added:

“The Heat Network Investment Project has awarded more than £250m to projects across England and Wales and while we love them all equally, few if any are as breathtakingly beautiful as Manchester’s magnificent Tower of Light which seems destined be one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks and an icon of its ambitious net zero strategy.

“Many congratulations to everyone involved with the project on the achievement of this latest milestone.”