Zero Carbon Luton - Issue 4, 2025
Pioneering solar project, trees for goals, and apples everywhere
Thank you for reading, and for your interest in making Luton a cleaner, greener and more beautiful place. Coming up in the newsletter this time:
A remarkable charity solar install for Keech Hospice
Luton Town thinks of the trees
Apple day returns to Luton
The Keech hospice solar legacy project
A cash donation to a charity benefits them once. A donation of solar panels keeps giving year after year. The Keech Hospice solar legacy project proves the point: a donated solar installation worth £200,000 will save the hospice £50,000 a year for the lifetime of the panels, which could be as much as 25 years.
Those panels are being installed on Keech Hospice throughout November. The project has been organised by Luton-based solar company Edtricity, calling in support from a range of partner businesses. A wholesaler donated panels, another donated the mounting equipment, and others supported in kind by lending a hydraulic forklift or scaffolding for the installation. Several other solar companies are sending installers to support the effort, including Capital Sky, who are building the new Luton Town ground.
The result is a major collaborative solar install, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK. By the end of the month this team effort will have affixed the 504th panel, releasing significant long term savings for the hospice. “Lower energy bills mean we can reinvest that saving directly into specialist compassionate care for children and adults with life-limiting conditions in our community,” say Keech, while “securing long-term sustainability means we can continue being here for our local community long into the future.”
At the time of writing the install is halfway through, with the team coordinating three different solar companies on the roof this week. “It was a lot of begging, many hours of designing, and liasing with Keech,” says Eddie Doherty of Edtricity. “It would have been an uphill struggle with square wheels if we had tried to do it on our own. But we’ve got some of the UK’s biggest solar suppliers, wholesalers, and they’re all working together. Companies that would normally be competitors have come together to supply us with equipment and materials completely free of charge - tens and tens of thousands of pounds worth.”
The project doesn’t need anything from those of us who aren’t in the solar industry, so you can save your donations for Keech themselves. “We’re not asking for anything,” says Doherty. “It’s out of love, as we’ve got a platform that makes us able to do this, and I think more people should try it if they have the opportunity - hopefully it leads on to other solar projects being done this way.”
I’ll report back when the install is done, but you can follow progress on the Facebook page.
In related news, last year I wrote about how Active Luton have been pursuing sustainability across their sites, including solar installs at High Town Community Centre and other locations. They planned to fit solar to the large roof of the Inspire Sports Village, and if you visited the swimming pool over the summer you may have seen the scaffolding up round the side. If you’d climbed that scaffolding, click here to see what you’d find.
Luton Town thinks of the trees
Luton Town met Forest Green Rovers in the FA Cup this month, and environmentally minded football fans may have spotted an admittedly niche significance to this match. These are the first - and so far only - two football clubs to play in sustainable kit from Reflo.
To mark the occasion, Reflo pledged to plant a thousand trees for every goal scored, through their partners in Madagascar and Mozambique.
Luton got things off to a good start by going 3-0 up, before remembering that more goals equals more trees, and therefore it would be a good idea to let Forest Green Rovers score some too. Rovers added three thousand trees of their own before Luton scored the winner to ensure they were the ones to progress to the next round of the cup.
Fans will no doubt be reassured that Luton’s players were simply maximising the number of trees planted, rather than throwing away a three goal lead to non-league opposition. Right?
Reflo will also be planting a tree at the new Power Court site for every goal scored in the leafy new third kit.
Apple Day returns to Luton
They have apparently occurred in the past, but it’s been decades since anyone hosted an Apple Day in the town. The Luton Orchards Project set that right in October with a ‘mini’ apple day at Stockingstone Riverside Meadows.
With support from the Wildlife Trust, the Council and others, the event included apple pressing and juice tasting, activities, refreshments and a guided walk.
Check out Lutonorchards.org for more on the town’s fruity heritage, and opportunities to buy local apple juice.
In other news…
Luton has successfully bid for funding from Nature Towns and Cities. We look forward to reporting on improvements and further community engagement on nature and green space in the coming months.
On a smaller funding scale, teachers - you’ve got just a few days to get your applications in for the OVO Foundation Nature Prize, where you can win £500 for your school.
Did you know Inspire FM has a weekly nature show? Every Wednesday with Raheed Salaam and Aaron Matthew. You can listen back on Facebook.
Luton Libraries have signed the Green Library Manifesto, which calls for libraries to play their part in addressing climate change.
Work is underway on Luton’s first Park & Ride scheme, on the Butterfield business park. Don’t get too excited, but this is what it looks like so far:
The Zero Carbon Luton newsletter is written by Jeremy Williams, all about climate action in Luton. If you’ve got a story for next time, you know what to do.