*Sundance scoop Innovation Award at the Cylch Wales Recycling Awards*
- Thanks to all our customers for your amazing support!
24/10/07

Sundance were awarded the 'Innovation Award' at the Cylch Wales Recycling Awards - Thanks to all our customers for their tremendous support.

The awards were presented during Cylch’s 10th annual conference dinner yesterday by the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane Davidson AM. An expert panel of key stakeholders in the Welsh recycling scene drew up a shortlist of contenders and a public vote decided the winners. In praise of the exemplary efforts of each participant Mick Bates, Welsh Lib Dem AM congratulates all contenders and applauds the success of the winners in each category: “This is an excellent achievement for all companies involved as well as for our local communities and the future success of recycling schemes in Wales. It is so important to pay tribute to these grassroot projects who work so hard to put real practical solutions into action. “Many congratulations to Sundance Renewables for their ‘Innovation Award’ for setting up the first community based biodiesel project in the UK. Reducing carbon emissions from transport is a huge challenge that must be addressed in our battle against climate change – not only do Sundance recycle waste cooking oil from local businesses but they produce a fuel that can help save our environment. It is great to see such a dedicated co-operative enterprise receive this much deserved recognition. “Thanks to all those projects across Wales who work so hard and I hope that we will see more and more of these excellent ideas put into action across Wales, as we continue along our sustainable footpath towards a low carbon future.”

The Sundance Crew! Jan Cliff and Adam Price of Sundance with WRAP sponsor Steve Creed and Welsh Environment Minister Jane Davidson

 

For more details on all the Cylch Awards Winners please visit:      www.cylch.org

 

 

Yet another increase on Biodiesel road fuel duty!

01/10/2007

 

As from midnight October 1st road fuel duty on Biodiesel went up by another 2p per litre!

 

As a goodwill gesture to our loyal customers, we will once again not be passing on this increase - another case of small enterprises taking it on the chin for the government's short sightedness and lack of support for positive action to reduce carbon emissions.

 

At 50.35p a litre the duty paid on diesel in the UK is now the highest rate in Europe, where the average level is 22.7p a litre.  This means duty on Biodiesel now stands at 30.35p per litre - when the duty increases on fossil diesel, it increases on Biodiesel at the same rate!

This year Sundance has again been practically self-financing - this increase in duty will not help and will eat into profits that we could be ploughing back into valuable community projects.

It Aint Easy Being Green.........

 

 

Green Party candidate visits Green fuel co-operative, Sundance Renewables

Swansea Green Party - News Release 17/4/07

 

Green Party Assembly Candidate Rhodri Griffiths will be visiting local renewable energy group Sundance Renewables on Thursday 19th April to learn more about the potential for biofuels.  Sundance Renewables is a workers’ co-operative based at Capel Hendre Industrial Estate near Ammanford.  They aim to help community regeneration through appropriate and sustainable methods and the development of renewable energy projects. Also, by engaging local communities in consultation and offering a range of educational resources, Sundance Renewables is increasing understanding and awareness of energy issues.

Jan Cliff, Co-Founder and Director of Sundance Renewables commented, “Using renewable energy helps to reduce global warming and pollution, offers a better environment for our children and for us all, and will provide energy security for the future and more local jobs.

“In 2004 we set up a small scale production facility for biodiesel which is the first community enterprise of its kind in the UK.  We offer training courses to help accelerate the development of similar ventures.

“As a sustainable energy co-operative we are also committed to reducing our ecological footprint and this is at the forefront of any development strategy we undertake. 

Rhodri Griffiths added, “I wanted to take a look at what Sundance are doing because they are using an alternative process to produce their biodiesel. 

“Most biofuels are produced from plant and vegetable matter, and this, of course, requires land to grow the source crops.  Sundance are producing their biodiesel from locally sourced used vegetable oils.  This process buys into all three elements of the ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ motto.

“By using a waste product as their source crop, they are reducing the amount of material going to landfill, whilst at the same time reusing and recycling the vegetable oils. 

“Since they were first set up in 2002, Sundance has saved around 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.   Their new plant expansion is set to offset up to 2,500 tonnes per year. 

Using biofuel in their cars enables individual to offset on average 3 tonnes of CO₂ per year – compared to a person pledging not to fly to Spain for their holidays, which will save around 10% of that.  Using biofuel makes a significant contribution to dealing with climate change.”

 

Notes to Editors/Photo Editors:

1.  The visit will commence at 4.30pm on Thursday 19^th April.  There will be opportunities for photographs and interviews both during and after the visit. 

 

2.  More details of the work of Sundance Renewables can be found at: http://www.sundancerenewables.org.uk/

 

3.  Green Party Energy Policy: http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/mfss/Energy.html

 

4.  Wales Green Party Manifesto for the Assembly Election 2007: http://www.walesgreenparty.org.uk/?page=598&lng=en-GB

 

 

For interviews and further information, please contact:

 

Sundance Renewables: 0845 4582397; [email protected]

 

Rhodri Griffiths, Green Party Assembly Candidate for South Wales West: 01792 874190 or 078 9128 4527; [email protected]

 

Swansea Green Party Press Office: 0845 345 5768 or 079 1467 7150; [email protected]

 

Green Party National Press Office: 020 7561 0282

 

 

 

** Press Alert **

   January 2007

On January 11th we had Sky news here all day to film us for a current affairs programme and live broadcasts - many thanks for the support of customers who came along that day!