The National Trust has turned to timber to help it reduce its carbon footprint on Coniston Water in the Lake District.
Its Victorian steam yacht Gondola has switched from a coal-fired boiler to a wood-fueled biomass alternative, cutting emissions from the boat by 90% according to the Trust.
This equates to a reduction in emissions of 105 tonnes to 10 tonnes of carbon each season. It has also seen the fuel supply switch from Poland and Russia to nearby North Wales, where waste wood will be supplied by manufacturing facilities.
“By greening the historic Gondola the National Trust is demonstrating its commitment to reduce its own carbon footprint and showing how this can work by using a mixture of new and traditional technology,” said Gareth Thomas, National Trust environmental practices adviser in the north-west.
