Members newsletter 15th March 2016

Feed-In Tariff update

DECC provides a weekly update on FiT deployment caps. As mentioned previously, 3 bands hit their caps as early as 8th February. You can keep an eye on deployed capacity here.
 

National Infrastructure Commission: Smart Power

The National Infrastructure Commission’s (NIC) first report on their studies into the UK’s electricity sector, connecting the cities of the North and London’s transport system and building a more flexible electricity system. The NIC’s central finding is that Smart Power – principally built around three innovations, Interconnection, Storage, and Demand Flexibility – could save consumers up to £8 billion a year by 2030, help the UK meet its 2050 carbon targets, and secure the UK’s energy supply for generations. It also recommends that enabling the transition to more actively managed local networks should be a government priority.
 

Energy UK: Pathways for the GB electricity sector to 2030

Energy UK's report summarises key findings from a series of in-depth interviews carried out in summer and autumn 2015, with senior leaders from the Energy UK membership and other key organisations and stakeholders. The report provides insights from those responsible for ensuring a clean, secure and affordable electricity supply to 2030, and then outlines the key steps required between Government and industry to ensure that delivery. The report makes reference to the need to “undertake a review to ensure that cost effective local community electricity production can continue to succeed".
 

Energy and Climate Change Committee: Investor Confidence in the UK energy sector

There is increased nervousness among some investors looking at energy projects in the UK, the Energy and Climate Change Committee have warned in their report. Investor confidence has been dented by a series of sudden policy changes since the election, which may lead to a hiatus in project developments and threaten the UK’s ability to meet its energy security and climate change objectives.
 

Consultations

The Renewable Heat Incentive: A reformed and refocused scheme

DECC is seeking views on proposed reforms to the existing Domestic and Non-Domestic RHI schemes. More details in our next newsletter.  Closing date 27^th April. More details here.

Ofgem consultation on DNO performance in addressing network constraints

Ofgem has launched a consultation seeking views from stakeholders on how effective each DNO has been at engaging with customers and in developing plans to deal with constraints on their network. Although Ofgem  has previously sought views on the DNOs’ wider Incentive on Connections Engagement plans, it has not heard directly from stakeholders on how well they feel DNOs are responding to this particular issue. Ofgem will use this information to help inform it when judging DNO plans for 2016/17 to ensure they will properly address stakeholder concerns. The document also sets out Ofgem’s expectations of DNO performance in this area. The document is available here. The consultation closes on 29^th April.
 

Resilient Energy is fighting High Court Action that is looking to stop their community energy project and others like it in the UK. Their 500kW community wind energy project, Resilient Energy Severndale, was approved by Forest of Dean District Council planning committee in August 2015 with a majority vote of 10:3 in favour with one abstention. It was one of the first wind projects to receive approval following new planning guidance for wind energy received in June 2015. 

This decision is now subject to a Judicial Review being brought by a single named individual to try and stop their project. The basis of the High Court Challenge is seen as key to the continued success of our Community Energy project and others like it in the UK. To find out more, and to help them to meet the financial cost needed to fight this action, please visit: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/high-court-challenge-to-aims-of-community-energy/

Discount for CEE members from Pure Leapfrog’s LEAP!

As we announced in our 12th November newsletter, Pure Leapfrog have developed a project called LEAP (Local Energy Accelerator Platform) which provides community groups with high quality legal templates at a low cost. CEE has now partnered with Pure Leapfrog to ensure a 20% discount of the prices for all CEE members and also the provision of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) for free. Get in touch with Aoife or visit here for more information.

Energy Saving Trust Community Energy Efficiency Toolkit now on-line

The Community Energy Efficiency Toolkit, developed through interviews and collaboration between Communities Living Sustainably (CLS) project groups and the Energy Saving Trust, is now available on the Community Energy Hub. The toolkit brings together delivery models used by CLS groups, example documents (such as surveys and template contracts), mini case studies and links to resources outside of CLS. An extra module on monitoring and evaluation has been created in response to some of the issues faced by CLS groups. There will be many more things that can be added to the toolkit, so please take the time to browse and upload resources that you think add value to the kit. Please also set up your organisation as a project and connect yourself to CLS; this will promote your organisation and link it with energy efficiency, and you can also comment on and rate resources, which tells the EST and others which are the most helpful resources.
 

Energy4All is hiring

Energy4All is looking to hire a Project Officer in Scotland’s Central Belt.  The role will involve development of new community energy projects as well as working with existing co-ops.  Expected salary level £25k.  Closing date 21 March 2016.  For more details on the Job Specification visit www.energy4all.co.uk. Please apply to Tammy Calvert , Office Manager info@energy4all.co.uk 

Northern Powergrid report highlights value of community energy

Northern Powergrid has released a report that highlights the social benefits of Community Energy. It is based on a survey of community energy groups which have been the recipient of their Seed Fund in 2014. The report brings evidence of a range of benefits brought by CE activities. Albeit based on a small amount of case studies, this evidence is in line with previous reports published over the Autumn (by Quantum for Community Energy England, and by Nesta), that position Community Energy as an outreach activity that develops, strengthens, and educates a local community of people, as much as an activity that has to do with energy. The case studies can be viewed here.
 

RegenSW electricity network capacity survey & £30 reward vouchers

Regen has a quick survey on electricity network capacity maps that show constraints (how full the grid is) in different areas. There are £30 Riverford vouchers on offer, so take a look here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/grid_survey

 

Abundance: Invest in the UK’s first local authority solar bond

Swindon Common Farm Solar CIC is wholly owned by Swindon Borough
Council who will be investing £3m to build the park. Swindon are also
looking to raise £1.8m from the community to complete the financing of the
park. More details can be found on Abundance’s website. 
 

Southill Community Energy launches share offer in David Cameron’s constituency

SCE is offering investors the opportunity to buy shares in the community solar farm on the Cornbury Park estate, just outside Charlbury. They are aiming to raise £3 million to build the solar farm, which was granted planning consent in July 2015. It has been pre-accredited for the Feed-in Tariff and will be one of the last community solar schemes to be guaranteed the subsidy. Full press release at: http://communityenergyengland.org/press-releases/
 
NB. All member share offers that we are notified of are uploaded on to our website here: http://communityenergyengland.org/members-area/opportunities/
 

Member events

Smart Energy Market Place, 17 March, Exeter
RegenSW's exhibition and conference will explore and develop new business opportunities with the key players in the emerging smart, decentralised energy system.

Sustainable Energy Fair, 19^th March, Ivybridge
Join PL:21 for a fun-filled, fact-finding morning all about energy. Find out how to reduce energy bills, whether renewable energy is suitable on your home, and why climate change still matters. They also have craft activities, face painting and mini soft play to keep children happy whilst adults peruse the stands and listen to the talks. Please promote this event to your networks.

Beyond Paris: how can energy efficiency co-operatives contribute to achieving 2050 targets? Carbon Co-op AGM, 7th April, Manchester
Carbon Co-op's AGM features presentations and Q&A from climate scientist and deputy director of Tyndall Centre, Professor Kevin Anderson, architect and retrofit expert Marianne Heaslip (URBED) and Carbon Co-op's membership development workers Aneaka Kellay (Carbon Co-op). Members and non-members welcome (only members can vote at the AGM).

Other events
Community Energy Markets, 20^th April, Swindon
This event brings together speakers from CEE, Community Energy Wales, RegenSW, Public Power Solutions, DECC, Ofgem and others to look at how to enable communities to make the most of local supply markets. 
CEE members can get a 5% discount if you register via the website, click on the register link and input promotional code 7000
 
Clean Energy Summit, 26-28 April, Twickenham
This event brings together the drivers of demand for clean energy with the energy industry to discuss opportunities for deployment, decentralised generation and community energy. Clean Energy joins major energy users with public sector land and rooftop owners and community energy groups to explore the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities presented by decarbonising the economy. One case study example from the event is Warrington Borough Council’s use of solar PV on their buildings.

Following on from the popularity of the offer in our last newsletter, Clean Energy has extended the number of 50% discounted tickets to the 26^th and 27^th April to all CEE members. Please email Rosie Riley at rriley@solarmedia.co.uk
 

Power to Change to launch £10m Community Business Fund

Power to Change will be awarding grants between £50,000-£30,000 to support and develop community businesses in England. Full criteria will be published on 5^th April and they will begin accepting applications from 26^th April. To receive a link to the criteria on 5^th April, you can register your interest here.

Campaign against Climate Change: Going backwards protest and campaign

The Campaign against Climate Change will be launching a new campaign this spring focusing on the government's backtracking on climate change. The main event will be a protest on 8 May in Whitehall (a march with a difference, literally walking backwards). They would love to get some community energy groups involved on the day, and to share their stories of what the recent cuts have meant - and what they could do if we were really going forwards with clean energy!

Anyone who's interested please do get in touch with them - even if you're not in London, they are hoping to get some other local events going, with people writing to their MPs, holding meetings and stunts and they may be able to put you in touch with other interested groups. The protest will be highlighting other issues as well - from insulation cuts and job losses in commercial solar firms to fracking and aviation so please share with anyone who might be interested in getting involved.
 

Beyond subsidy: How the next levy control framework can cut carbon at least cost.

Green Alliance’s report, launched yesterday, shows there is a high risk of a significant low carbon gap. Current policy is unlikely to deliver enough low carbon power, due to constraints on the build rate for the very limited range of technologies the government has chosen to support: offshore wind, nuclear and possibly tidal lagoons. Read more about their analysis here.