Castle warms to green heat scheme
A castle in the Borders has installed a heating system run on woodchip from trees felled on its estate.
Roxburghe Estates hopes to reduce its carbon emissions thanks to the system at Floors Castle in Kelso.
The renewable energy scheme was officially opened by Secretary for Sustainable Growth John Swinney.
He described it as "innovative renewable energy generation which tackles climate change and promotes sustainable forest management".
The Duke of Roxburghe said the estate was keen to help reduce carbon emissions.
"At Roxburghe, we are committed to playing our part in energy efficiency and support a mix of renewable energy sources," he said.
Mr Swinney said he believed the heating scheme was the type which could be used across Scotland.
He said: "Biomass can play an important part in the renewables mix, creating good quality rural jobs and promoting sustainable local solutions to global challenges."
Floors Castle is one of the Borders major tourist attractions with about 35,000 visitors a year.
Original source : BBC News Scotland
