• New Mills 2030
    • Join The Community Conversation
  • About us
  • Energy Group
  • Conservation & biodiversity
  • Food & Incredible Edible New Mills
  • Discussion Group
  • Blog
  • Useful links
  • Rethink Plastic!
  • Map Jam
  • Members & Governance
  • Donations
  • Events
  • Contact us

Transition New Mills

~ Happenings, news and comment

Transition New Mills

Category Archives: Energy

Join the Big Energy Saving Network!

22 Thursday Oct 2015

Posted by Julian Ashworth in Energy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Energy

High Peak CVS is looking for volunteers for a project helping vulnerable people in the High Peak to save money on their energy bills.

The project is part of a national government-funded programme running through this Autumn and Winter called the Big Energy Saving Network.

Their brief is to provide outreach workshops, surgeries, 1-1 help and staff/volunteer training to help people switch and / or apply for energy-related benefits and generally save money on their energy bills.

The target audiences include a wide range of people (and support agencies) including those who are ‘off gas grid’ and ‘living in hard-to-heat homes such as solid-wall homes’.

They are looking for people who like talking to and helping people, and who have at least a little experience of using the internet.

You don’t need to have any energy-related knowledge as relevant training will be provided, nor will you be asked to lead workshops or training sessions unless you would like to.

If you are interested in getting involved or would like to find out more, please contact Esther Jones at High Peak CVS via 01663 736 429 or esther@highpeakcvs.org.uk as soon as possible.

The Parties Respond to Our Questions! Q4 – Community Energy

01 Friday May 2015

Posted by Michael Daw in Energy, Politics

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Conservative Party, General election 2015, Green Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrat Party, UKIP

Political party logos

The full, unedited responses for this question are available in this document: Candidates Responses-Q4.

Recent changes to the registration of co-ops and tax changes have put barriers in the way of community energy schemes. Conversely, George Osborne talks about tax breaks for fracking companies. Which would you prioritise and how?

Stephen Worrall (Liberal Democrats)

Stephen says that “You can rest assured that I would definitely prioritise community energy schemes, those tax breaks would be going to them rather than fracking if it was up to me!” He also says that the Liberal Democrats are committed to supporting new energy cooperatives in the next parliament.

UKIP

UKIP’s policies on energy include repealing the Climate Change Act 2008, which costs the economy £18bn a year; supporting the development of shale gas with proper safeguards for the local environment; earmarking money from shale gas for lower council taxes or community projects within the local authority; no new subsidies for wind farms and solar arrays; the abolition of green taxes in order to reduce fuel bills.

Andrew Bingham (Conservative)

Andrew says that the Torrs Hydro scheme in New Mills is a “source of pride”. He recalls prior to the last election bringing Conservative Shadow Ministers to see it, as it shows the way to many other parts of the country. He says that how it was conceived, funded and built is a tribute to people in New Mills.

Man-made climate change is a serious threat to this country and the world. Left unchecked it will have far-reaching consequences for our society. Andrew says that this is why his party is taking action to deal with the threat of climate change and ensure Britain’s energy security after “thirteen wasted years from Labour”. This action includes the world’s first Green Investment Bank, support for smaller solar energy projects, and direct or enabling investment of hundreds of billions of pounds for clean, low-carbon energy, supporting up to 250,000 jobs.  Renewable electricity has more than doubled and the amount of electricity we get from renewables has risen by 119% over the last four years.

As to the recent controversy over the registration of co-operatives for community energy, Andrew says that the “Financial Conduct Authority has been clear its current policy on the registration of co-operative and community benefit societies has not changed”. However, it has increased its focus on whether a society is a co-operative society or a community benefit society. As a result, some recent applications for registration as a co-operative society have been unable to show the necessary member participation. Andrew says that the FCA has met with societies and advisers to explain their findings.

And as to the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) providing tax relief to incentivise individuals to invest in higher-risk small and growing businesses, the Conservative Party believes that the community purpose underpinning community energy schemes makes accessing risk capital under Social Investment Tax Relief more appropriate than using the other tax-advantaged venture capital schemes that fall under the EIS. Andrew says that, “Even so, I recognise that community energy organisations face particular risks in comparison to commercial projects. As a result they can continue to benefit from tax-relieved investment despite the Government withdrawing eligibility from commercial projects.”

Andrew believes that the incentives are fair and sufficient to encourage investment into community energy organisations and remains committed to the community energy sector more generally.

Charlotte Farrell (Green)

Charlotte says that Greens would maximise the benefit of renewable generation to the local community through local ownership of generators, where possible through co-operatives. This would begin to balance the market domination of the big 6 energy companies. Community-owned renewable energy schemes such as have been successful in Germany allow far greater flexibility and security and must be given priority given the need to rid ourselves of fossil fuels because of climate change.

The Greens also totally oppose tax breaks given to all the fossil fuel companies.  Fossil fuel extraction has to be scaled back and renewable energy increased.  The Green Party is the only party to totally oppose fracking.

Caitlin Bisknell (Labour)

Caitlin fully supports community energy projects as a way of increasing the provision of cheaper, greener energy and would prioritise this over tax breaks for fracking companies. Labour wants to explore the potential for direct delivery of community owned generation into homes and businesses and ensure the regulatory environment supports the development of this sector.

Caitlin would also like to see local councils building new homes to the highest energy efficiency levels and encouraging other developers to meet those standards too; we also need to look at programmes to retro-fit our homes to make them more energy efficient.

Help us stay warm and cut fuel bills in New Mills homes

13 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by Julian Ashworth in Energy

≈ Leave a comment

big energy saving network logo

Do you know people or groups in New Mills living in inefficient housing, on low incomes or in fuel poverty, who are struggling to stay warm and healthy in their home and keep their bills affordable?

Transition New Mills is keen to help High Peak CVS deliver free energy advice sessions in New Mills to help people cut their fuel costs. High Peak CVS’s trained and experienced Big Energy Saving team can help people to:

  • Switch energy supplier, and tariff or payment method to get a better deal
  • Find out if they qualify for a Warm Home Discount worth £140 this Winter
    Access grants to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, including insulation and boiler replacement
  • Make no and low-cost energy efficiency changes to their home
  • Make simple behavioural changes to use less energy and keep warm and healthy

High Peak CVS is offering short training sessions for staff and volunteers who support disadvantaged people, informal chats / awareness raising presentations for community groups and audiences, and 1-1 surgery sessions to help individuals take action to save money and energy.

We’d like your help to reach the people who would most benefit from this initiative. Likely audiences include elderly people, young families, people with disabilities and long-term health problems, those off-gas-grid or on low incomes.

High Peak CVS are already in contact with some groups in New Mills, but we would really like your suggestions as to which groups or organisations can help us reach the people in most need of this help, and how we can best make contact with them.

This offer is time limited, so please make your suggestions by reply or email transition.newmills@gmail.com as soon as possible.

Update on community energy in New Mills

27 Saturday Sep 2014

Posted by Michael Daw in Energy

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

community energy, solar energy

You may remember this blog post posing the question of whether we need more community energy in New Mills. An overwhelming 90% of people thought we did.

There are a number of stages involved in getting community energy up and running. Broadly speaking they are:

  1. Decide on what type of energy project to develop
  2. Determine a suitable site
  3. Put in place the organisational infrastructure
  4. Raise investment
  5. Build the power station
  6. Generate clean, green power, manage the organisation and distribute dividends
  7. Repeat to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy security and create local jobs!

The good news is that there is now a small team from Transition New Mills working on this. And, having spoken to a number of people, we reckon that generating electricity from solar panels (‘solar PV’) on one or more large roofs is the best way to start. Why is this?

  • Lots of other people have done it so we can follow a well-worn path
  • The technology these days is fairly standard so it’s not likely to present many technical difficulties
  • It’s relatively cheap and provides good financial returns
  • There’s usually no need for planning permission
  • It’s not usually subject to much controversy.

Of course, none of the stages outlined above are simple and we need help. For some of the practical considerations, we’ve secured the partnership of an experienced and friendly solar installation company, Sustainable Energy Systems, whose involvement is vital in ensuring that sites are suitable and we can address technical issues. Together, we’ve been scouting out potentially suitable sites (i.e. large, broadly south-facing roofs in New Mills!) and approaching the people who look after them. Sometimes, finding the right people to talk to and getting a foot in the door is not always as easy as it might seem. Whilst of course it wouldn’t be right to give details of meetings and conversations we’ve had, I can say that one site that looked initially promising is unfortunately not appropriate. We’re currently engaged in discussions over one other potential site and we’re at the early stages of approaching others.

Also extremely helpful has been Ovesco. This organisation was formed by people from Transition Town Lewes and their first project was an installation of solar panels on the roof of a family-owned Sussex brewery. They have definitely been there, done that and have the contacts and expertise to prove it! Among other very useful pointers, they suggested that whilst our first priority is to realise the initial project, the medium-term game plan should be to operate several community-owned power stations so that we can afford for someone to devote a portion of their time to manage them (and their investors) and to develop further opportunities.

Watch this space for further updates as the project progresses. If you have any suggestions or want to get involved, feel free to get in contact via the usual channels or post a comment below.

Installing solar panels on a roof in New Mills

Installing solar panels on a roof in New Mills (mine!)

More community energy in New Mills? Have your say!

30 Sunday Mar 2014

Posted by Michael Daw in Energy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

balcombe, hydro-electric, renewable heat incentive, solar PV, south wales, wadebridge, wind power

Is it time for more community-owned renewable energy in New Mills? There are an increasing number of community energy projects around the UK, with many towns and communities putting a lot of effort into becoming more energy-efficient and generating more green energy. Some examples include:

  • Wadebridge in Cornwall, which is aiming to generate 30% of its electricity from local renewable sources by 2015
  • Balcombe in Sussex, which was recently the site of exploratory fracking investigations (and a high-profile protest camp) and is now intending to invest £300,000 in solar power
  • The South Wales valleys, which has an ongoing share offer to invest in solar power on seven community buildings.

So what about New Mills? Our town is of course home to the UK’s first community-owned hydro-electric scheme, the Torrs Hydro, and there is an ongoing project to raise money to put solar panels on the roof of New Mills School.

But could we be doing more? There is certainly no shortage of options: just downstream from Archie at Torr Vale Mill, another weir could generate more hydro-electricity; we have numerous south-facing roofs where we could put solar panels; we have plenty of wind; and let’s not forget the Renewable Heat Incentive, which makes more viable the installation of community heating schemes. As well as an investment in our future energy security, many of these options could be good financial investments too.

We would like to know what you think. Please take part in our poll and send this to as many of your friends and neighbours as possible to get them to vote too.

And if you would like more community energy and you’d like to help make it happen, contact us.

← Older posts
Newer posts →

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • December 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013

Categories

  • Biodiversity
  • Climate change
  • Discussion
  • Economy
  • Energy
  • Events
  • Food
  • Funding
  • Local plans
  • News
  • Plants
  • Politics
  • Rewilding
  • Tourism
  • Training
  • Transport
  • Uncategorized
  • waste

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy