Stories of Change: The past, present and future of energy

Energy Stories Library item 14 Jul 2017

Saving lives and protecting the environment

Renowned for its brave crews of volunteers who have saved in excess of 140,000 lives over nearly 200 years of service, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is less well known for its role in developing and using renewable technology.

Running 237 lifeboat stations across the UK & Republic of Ireland meant that there was a financial incentive for them to explore ways that renewable energy generation could save them money and reduce their carbon emissions.

“We have an annual energy bill of about £1.8m, which is a considerable amount of money for any organisation. But our core mission is to save lives, so we’re looking to try and make sure that the money we get from donations is spent as efficiently as possible, so that as much of the money that people donate goes to that purpose.”

The programme, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality for electricity and gas by 2024, has so far achieved across the whole estate. In 2016 this has not only earned £84,500 through the Government Feed-in Tariff scheme but also led to savings of £35,900 - vital funds that can be invested back into the organisation.

Energy efficiency savings are also a part of the transition as the organisation raises awareness amongst its staff and volunteers of ways they can reduce bills and emissions.

RNLI estates engineer Rob Jeans and his team have explored innovative ways of using heat pump technology to draw heat from the ground and sea. A ground or marine source heat pump extracts low-grade heat from the earth or the sea, amplifies it using the natural laws of physics and a little electricity which can be used to heat a lifeboat station.

Rob said: “You’re not getting something for nothing, but, for every 1KW you use powering the heat pump, you get 4KW of useable heat out. There’s nothing revolutionary about heat pump technology, but including it as part of a new lifeboat station build was fresh thinking.”

In 2007 the team installed its first ground source system at Exmouth Lifeboat Station. Today there are twenty five installations up and running with many more in the pipeline.

The RNLI became involved with a group of like-minded organisations from the not-for-profit sector when it joined the Fit For the Future network. This expanding group share knowledge on ways to become more energy efficient and cut their carbon emissions.

Victoria said: “Being part of a group like Fit For the Future has proved to be a wonderful forum for ideas. Because many of the members are charities there is no commercial pressure to protect information. So it leads to great honesty. As we’re not for profits, we’re not competitive in the same way that a business might be. So with members like ourselves, the National Trust, Oxfam and the RSPB, it’s a real place where ideas, technologies and our experiences of them and of using them can be aired. We’ve really gained from being a member, and hopefully we are putting a few ideas back in too.”

They have been sharing their knowledge with the National Trust which helped them build Britain’s biggest marine source heat pump, supplying a 300-year-old mansion at Plas Newydd on the Anglesey coast.

Renewable energy technology requires investment upfront but every £1 invested in renewables generates a return of £2-£3 to front-line services. They are also reducing the fuel bill for the 349-strong fleet. The latest Shannon Class lifeboat is considerably more energy and fuel efficient than many of their older vessels.

In the future it’s possible that electric engine technology could become a realistic way to power their fleet.

Victoria explained: “A lot of our new thinking, going forward, will need to be about batteries and power storage because we need to hold on to more of the power that we generate from renewables and battery technology will be a big part of that.

“Meanwhile, our focus will really be on progressing as far as we can and wasting as little as possible. We’re always seeking to be as energy efficient as possible, looking at renewables, and aiming to be carbon neutral.”

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