At the Bath Community Energy Forum event on September 8th 2016, local community energy groups gave short talks on what they were currently working on. We thought it would be helpful to provide a list, if you find any of these items interesting we are sure the individual groups would be very happy to discuss their projects with you, and would be particularly interested if you have the time to get involved!
- High profile within the community as a result of work on housing development
- Trying to get the residents to value the natural environment around Saltford
- Campaigning to reopen Satlford station. Now hopefully more likely with new regional mayor
- Looking at making church hall more energy efficient: LEDs?
- Looking at making the community hall more energy efficient: LEDs, solar PV?
- 1800 website visitor per month; 25% of village are members; distribute informaition on what they are up to via village newsletter
Keynsham Community Energy
- In discussions with Waitrose re installing solar PV on their roof
- Investigating district heating at Riverside
- Talking to Mongoose Energy about becoming an energy supplier
- Still interested in Keynsham Weir, although ownership makes it difficult
- Grant from Keynsham Town Council to produce energy advice leaflets (derived from those produced by CSE)
- carried out 30 thermal imaging surveys last winter, but having to lower age limit from 70 down to 60 as struggling to find 70+ year olds interested or motivated to reduce their energy consumption, reduce costs, make their homes more comfortable
- Attempted targeting fuel poor homes (x4) in ward but struggled as were dependent on Curo to deliver remediation (need to improve communication with Curo)
- End up working with middle class homes, which was not entirely the objective
- Working with 4 businesses on energy efficiency surveys and followup (Prior Park Garden Centre, Ring o Bells Pub, St Matthews Church, Natural Theatre Company)
- Working with Ralph Allen Academy School, good contacts with pupils and a number of teachers, will be looking to organise a project with them this winter
- They have a new padi coordinator
- 9 MW of solar PV ground mounted arrays gone on stream this year in Crewkerne and South Devon (raised £6M in funds)
- Bathampton Weir Hydro currently being built, small solar PV array going in at Stowey Farm
- Looking to become an energy supplier (via Mongoose energy), battery technology and localised grid supply
- Change in National Policy, FITs, EIS, Climate Change Levy all making running a Community Energy Company more challenging
- Nationally Community Energy Groups are now looking to diversify, cutting running costs, looking to supply energy locally, rather directly to the national grid (£66M national grid balancing demand fund)
- Community groups are also looking at demand side work (Pure Leapfrog LED project, Carbon Coop Manchester income stream, model)
- Will be announcing BWCE Community Fund after AGM at end of September, 6 weeks to apply, awarded in December
- Trying to support elderly people living on cold homes during the winter; this is difficult as they rarely come forward to ask for help
- Most of their work involves reducing costs by supporting elderly people switching energy tariffs, but difficult as many don;t have the internet
- Have been distributing ‘Age UK’ leaflet, to encourage take up
Transition Bath
- Thermal Imaging: last winter difficult to engage, due to low fuel prices, mild winter?
- LED lighting try-before-you-buy scheme: quick payback, easy, need promoting, and lending/booking system sorted out at library
- Blower Door project: new project to pressure test homes looking for leaks
- Schools Energy Competition Project: working with 3 other local partners on website to display smart meter energy consumption data to primary school children, and to form basis of competition, just received £7K funding from Open Data Institute to develop website
In addition to the feedback from the local groups above their we had a discussion about the way forward for our groups, how we target the disengaged, broaden communication.
FYi: there are a number of other energy groups in the area which weren’t able to attend the meeting (Bathford Energy Group, Transition Larkhall, Priston Energy Group )