The award-winning Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick has further boosted its environmental credentials thanks to a £12,500 grant from the ScottishPower Green Energy Trust.

The funding from the energy company has meant the Centre, which attracts around 300,000 people each year, offers visitors the chance to observe seabirds and marine mammals in their natural habitat, has been able to add solar panels to the top of its building, in addition to the existing wind turbine.

The new panels have been fitted to the roof of the Environment Zone, which is a renewable energy educational project within the Seabird Centre.

This is the second time the five-star, visitor-attraction, which was awarded the Green Gold Tourism award in 2001, has received funding from the Trust.

 Alison McKean, Head of Environment at ScottishPower, said:

“The ScottishPower Green Energy Trust was delighted to be given the opportunity to assist the Seabird Centre again in this valuable project.

“In 2003 the Trust supported the centre when it installed solar powered interactive cameras on remote islands. These cameras enable bird watchers to make virtual visits to the islands in the Firth of Forth to observe the wildlife, undisturbed, in their own environment.
 
“Both rounds of funding have boosted the Centre’s green credentials and provided local residents and schools with a fun and practical way to learn about solar and wind energy and ways to tackle climate change.”

Charlie Marshall, Fundraising and Development Manager for the Scottish Seabird Centre is delighted to receive further funding from the trust.

He said:

“We are immensely grateful to ScottishPower Green Energy Trust for providing us with funding to develop the Seabird Centre further. The funding in 2003 made a huge difference to the centre and we are positive that this new round of funding will do the same.”

 “On a dreich day with no sun, the panels are generating about 165 watts  but in bright sunshine they can do five times this. This is such an excellent addition to the seabird centre helping to boost our green credentials.”

Issued on behalf of ScottishPower by The BIG Partnership.

For further information on this release please contact Ailie Semple on 0141 333 9585/0787 0916308 or ailie.semple@bigpartnership.co.uk or Kate McCheyne on 0141 333 9585/ 07766 076469 or kate.mccheyne@bigpartnership.co.uk

Notes to Editors

The ScottishPower Green Energy Trust was founded in 1998 as an independent charitable trust to support the development of new renewable energy sources in the UK – helping to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and combat climate change.

Funded entirely by ScottishPower’s Green Energy Fund customers – with trustees representing the UK Energy Research Centre, Borders Forest Trust and Energy Action Scotland – the Trust offers grants to a wide range of projects that will increase the use and knowledge of renewable energy.