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Miliband attends biomass project opening

David Miliband has attended the unveiling of the latest biomass installation in his South Shields constituency.

The former foreign secretary toured the new heating system which replaces the gas boilers used to heat the 31 flats of Bents Cottages.

Manufacturers Veissman and housing providers Places for People predicts that the various energy improvements installed in the redevelopment will lead to a 90 per cent reduction in the heating system’s CO2 emissions, with cost savings of around £12,000 per year, which equates to savings of £384 per property.

With the support of a back-up gas boiler and also with solar thermal panels, a Vitoligno 300-P pellet biomass boiler now provides around 75 per cent of the annual heat load for the buildings, equating to approximately 243,000 kWh per year. The pellet store is sunk into a geothermal unit underground to maintain the appearance of the residential area. In addition, a solar PV system generates 8,200 kWh electrical energy per year, saving on electricity bills and 4,300 kg of CO2 annually.