News / Spike island
Bristol arts hub goes green
One of the leading arts charities in Bristol has received a major boost in its journey towards net zero targets.
Spike Island received an investment package worth £127,000 for the installation of solar panels across its roofs.
The funding package is a mix of grant and loan.
The Cumberland Road-based arts hub currently houses some 70 local artists and hosts free contemporary art exhibitions.
The funding boost has financed the installation of solar panels across the roofs of Spike Island’s creative studios – photo: Resonance
It is reported that since the installation, Spike Island has saved 9,000kg of CO₂ and halved its electricity bills.
Deputy director at Spike Island Kate Ward said the support was crucial to launching the charity’s decarbonisation strategy.
She said: “From April to June this year, we saved 9,000kg of CO₂ and halved our electricity bill. This project shows the real impact such interventions can have.”
The investment was made through the Energy Resilience Fund, a £15m initiative delivered by Resonance in partnership with Social Investment Business (SIB).
The fund provides blended finance and energy support to charities and social enterprises across England.
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Donna Thomas, senior investment manager at Resonance, said the organisation was “delighted to be part of Spike Island’s journey towards becoming a net zero organisation”.
John Heaney of SIB added that the fund enables groups “to reduce their bills and take positive action on the climate crisis”.
Launched in November 2024, the Energy Resilience Fund has supported projects ranging from electric vehicles and LED lighting to insulation retrofits and air-source heat pumps.
Spike Island has received a major boost in its journey towards net zero targets – photo: Martin Booth
It has also been shortlisted for an Edie Net-Zero Award in the Energy Efficiency Project of the Year category.
Main photo: Resonance
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