PRESS RELEASE

SWINNEY OPENS PIONEERING RENEWABLE ENERGY SCHEME AT ROXBURGHE ESTATES

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney today (Wednesday July 2) opened a pioneering renewable energy scheme at Floors Castle.

Roxburghe Estates will be able to significantly reduce the carbon emissions from the castle - one of the leading tourist attractions in the Borders - with the installation of a specialised woodfuel heating system.

The district heating system will provide enough energy to heat the castle, which attracts over 35,000 visitors per year, the estate nursery and garden centre and when the next phase is completed 15 houses and other commercial buildings.

The heating system is powered by woodchips from trees felled on estate woodland and processed at the estate's local sawmill business in Kelso. The project will generate the equivalent of two extra jobs and secure existing employment at the sawmill.

Welcoming the Cabinet Secretary to Floors Castle today, the Duke of Roxburghe said: "The estate has chosen to invest in this scheme as it will reduce significantly the carbon emissions, contribute greatly to sustainable forestry and provide sustainable energy use.

"At Roxburghe, we are committed to playing our part in energy efficiency and support a mix of renewable energy sources.

"We are also involved in a joint venture to establish a 144MW windfarm, which, if approved, will deliver significant, sustainable benefits with an estimated saving of 300,000 tonnes of CO2 a year."

John Swinney said: "This is exactly the type of project I want to see in communities across Scotland - innovative renewable energy generation which tackles climate change and promotes sustainable forest management. Biomass can play an important part in the renewables mix, creating good quality rural jobs and promoting sustainable local solutions to global challenges."

Roxburghe's Woodfuel Heating systems, which cost £580,000 to install, will save about 500,000 kg of CO2 per year, the equivalent of heating 10,000 houses for a day.

The Roxburghe Woodfuel Heating Scheme is based around the Kob Pyrtec boiler, which was installed by a local Kelso firm, 3G Energy. Woodchip consumption is expected to be between 400 -600 tonnes.

Grant funding for part of the project was available from the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme.

Further information: Gordon Robertson of Media House on 0131 555 1015/07887 542 124

Please download the FLOORS CASTLE BIOMASS information sheet