Green-fingered business gains grant to invest in cutting bills and emissions

A Barnsley grounds maintenance business is investing in solar panels and battery powered tools to slash energy bills and cut back undergrowth.

Twiggs  has gained grant funding to invest in 29 solar panels for the roof of its 6,916 sq ft business base at Rockingham Works in central Barnsley

It’s estimated this large new photo-voltaic system will generate all the energy the business needs to run its office, plus more on top to charge the power tools it carries to jobs across the borough.

Twiggs works with public and private sector clients on outdoor maintenance and landscaping work, as well as with Barnsley Council, on contracts to help volunteers keep their local community environments clean and accessible.

The company gained a grant to back its £19,000 investment in renewable energy at work after taking part in the Net Zero Barnsley programme delivered by The Business Village in partnership with Barnsley Council.

Twiggs office manager Jordan Gregory worked with specialist Net Zero Barnsley consultants to calculate the company’s carbon footprint and draw up a decarbonisation plan identifying practical measures to reduce it.

He said: “Attending the Net Zero Barnsley workshops was a really positive experience, and we learned a lot from the course leaders and other businesses.

“As well as deciding to invest in solar panels and switch to battery powered tools, it has prompted us to put new systems in place to work smarter and reduce, reuse and recycle right across the business.

“All this is saving us money and time as well as cutting our carbon emissions.”

It is estimated that Twiggs solar panels should save the business over £2,500 a year on energy bills and reduce its annual CO2 carbon emissions by 1,580 kg.

It is expected that the company may generate excess energy and be able to sell this to the national grid through the Smart Export Guarantee scheme

Twiggs is replacing its petrol-fuelled tools with battery-powered cordless alternatives.

The company has also stepped up its recycling regime and reviewed its management of vehicle routing so that it co-ordinates jobs, quote visits and collections better to reduce mileage and ensure every work journey is as productive as possible.

Net Zero Barnsley business development manager, Kevin Steel, said: “Jordan is leading the charge at Twiggs and working towards net zero carbon emissions all businesses have to achieve.

“It’s great to see such a well-known Barnsley company which works at the heart of so many of our communities championing sustainability.

“As always, it’s not just about investment in renewables but about making small changes to the way we work to make green thinking part of the day job.”