Renewables and Sustainability
Renewables
“Reduce waste, energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels and to reduce Leys Estate Group’s carbon footprint, whilst utilising renewable energy where appropriate and introducing an Leys Estate Group Sustainability Policy.”
As a Group we aim to operate in a more sustainable way, reducing our carbon footprint with the combined goal of avoiding the depletion of natural resources and maintaining an ecological balance.
Sustainability
“Fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.”
We aim to fulfil the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations. We strive to achieve this by maintaining an ecological balance and avoiding resource depletion which must become an underlying principle of all that we do on Leys Estate.
We believe that there is a fundamental need and benefit to all of having a sustainable local environment, a sustainable local economy and a sustainable local community.
Key Objectives
Renewables
- Biomass Energy
- Continue to improve performance of the Hill of Banchory District Heat Network (DHN).
- Consider community or alternative private/public ownership of the Hill of Banchory DHN business.
- Solar Energy
- Consider new small or large scale PV or solar installations.
- Hydrogen Energy
- Assess the viability of hydrogen energy production.
Sustainability
- Energy
- Undertake Energy Audits of all Group properties.
- Improve energy efficiency and EPC ratings.
- Encourage Group procurement of energy where possible.
- Assess and reduce fuel and energy use across LEG operations.
- Carbon
- Undertake full Carbon Audit across LEG properties and business activities.
- Waste
- Carry out waste assessment of transport, operations and working practices.
- Adopt a waste management policy.
- Adopt a more circular business model of reduce, reuse, recycling and refurbish.
- Agriculture, Forestry and other land use
- Adopt sustainability in farming and practices to improve soil characteristics and farm efficiency, whilst improving environmental attributes, animal welfare and biodiversity.
- Consider the needs of the environment, wildlife and forest resources whilst balancing Ecological, Economic and Social sustainability in all land use decisions.
- Improved control over sustainable land use across the estate with the move to Contract Farming.
- Climate Change
- Reduce our overall impact on climate change.
- Prepare contingency and resilience plans for climatic events.
The Hill of Banchory Energy Supply Company (HoBESCo) is the limited company owned and operated by the North Banchory Company to deliver the renewable energy output of the Leys Estate Group.
HoBESCo operates primarily biomass (wood chip/pellet) heating schemes ranging from various property schemes, to a restaurant and community arts and sports hub at Woodend at Crathes. It also operates a large multi-connection District Heating Network at Hill of Banchory that currently supplies over 200 houses, seven commercial premises and Banchory Sports Village, including heating the indoor swimming pool. The network will be expanded to support a further 200 homes, additional commercial opportunities and a care home over the coming years.
Leys Estate Group also has several small renewable electricity generation schemes including photovoltaic cells and two small wind turbines.
We continually review how the Estate can provide further solar, wind, hydro, bio and geo-thermal energy options and schemes.
Related Businesses
