5. cew vision-dan
DESCRIPTION
CEW's vision by Dan McCallum, CEW Founding DirectorTRANSCRIPT
Dan McCallum, Founding Director8th June 2012
Who are we?
Why is there a need?
What do we hope to achieve?
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
To create a recognised sector for community
energy and grow the number of communities
actively involved in sustainable energy saving
and renewable energy generation
In achieving this we seek to deliver one sixth of
the Welsh Government's target for CO2 emission
reductions.
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
To inspire communities to take action
To empower them with the knowledge, resource, peer-to-peer support
To provide financing models that move away from grant reliance
To influence policies at local, regional and national levels
To be an independent and trusted voice for communities energy groups across Wales
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Influence policy - locally and nationally to:
o Recognise the contribution of community schemes to
economic & social development
o Be more ambitious in enabling community energy
developments through Spatial plans
o Enable preferential planning requirements and exemption
from, for example, business rates
o Actively implement the Localism Act 2011
o Ensure that all Local Development Plans have policy on
renewables
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Explore financial measures, including:
o Influencing mechanisms, i.e. FiTs, RHI, Green Deal in favour of
community renewables
o Introduction of a Community Tariff
o Incentivises for community projects to pursue new models of social
and economic organisation.
o Allowing communities to bid for ownership of their local grid
o Not discriminating against equity and equity-like investment of risk
capital in community-led energy schemes
NB. Scottish Government loan scheme offering £23.5million for
community renewable energy projects to cover ‘high-risk’ phase
Work with developers to:
◦ ensure that the wealth generated by energy development
in Wales benefits communities in the long term
◦ explore new models – financial & legal - for partnerships
with community groups
◦ collaborate with community groups through skills &
training offers
◦ produce a ‘Community benefits’ protocol based on long-
term objectives for community growth & resilience
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Currently:o 62% of renewable generation from wind and solaro 25% from thermal renewable generationo 13% from hydro generation
For onshore wind – 2GW: o 1770MW – SSA areaso 300MW - non SSA areas• combination of developments under 25MW, including community
energy
In Scotland, o 500MW – target for community & locally-owned renewable energy
generation by 2020
Community energy provides 1% of renewable energy in UK
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Examples Technology Generating Cost WhyFintry Renewable Energy
Wind turbine - owning one of 15 turbines
Rejected community benefit payment for ownership & acquired loan for one turbine cost
to reduce energy demand and decrease fuel poverty
Bath & West Community Energy
1.5 MW of Solar PV, hydro and wind projects
Vision to increase to 25MW by 2026
£5m - shares, bank loans & others, including £1million SSE loan for 100% debt finance
To make community more resilient in the face of increasing energy costs
Low Carbon West Oxford
220kWp of solar PVs; 6kW wind; 49kWe micro hydro
400MWh p.a.
£1m - combination of loans, shares, & £830k prize money from NESTA
to make low carbon living possible
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Examples Technology Generating Cost Why
Sustainable Hockerton
225kW Wind Turbine
330MWh p.a.
£225k - private investor & Share offer
to make Hockerton a more sustainable village
BroDyfi 75kW Wind Turbine500kW Wind Turbine
165MWh p.a.870MWh p.a.
£82k - Grants and share offerEU Funding & £180 k - share offer
to maximise local revenue kept within the local economy
Talybont Energy
36kW Hydro turbine
220-250MWh p.a.
£92k - 100% grant funded from various sources
to invest the income in energy saving and sustainable living projects
Isle of Gigha 3nos x 225kW Wind Turbine
2.1 GWh p.a.
£440k - mix of grants, loans and equity
to reinvigorate the local economy
generating income streams & using it for wider sustainability initiatives
contribution to emissions savings & meeting energy efficiency targets
self sufficiency for community organisations
helping reduce a community’s dependence on fossil fuels
reduction in energy costs and carbon emissions
increased awareness of energy use & consumption patterns
transferable skills
creating local jobs
tackling fuel poverty
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Germany –
◦ renewables industry worth €6.8bn to municipalities in 2009,
◦ 2.2m solar power installations, 22,000 wind energy systems, 400,000 heat pumps and 4,500 biogas plants
◦ 20% of Germany’s entire electricity output, where communities alone generate around a quarter of this
◦ study has shown that attitudes toward local wind power was greater amongst residents for one locally owned than privately owned
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Overcoming perception problems with public & community
Onerous system of achieving consents and permits
Securing Financing
Lack of information specific to forming community groups,
Lack of availability of local skills
Grid connection
Lack of long-term contracts
No representation of the ‘sector’
www.communityenergywales.org.uk
Pick up information on joining our organisation
Sign up for our regular CEW bulletins
Find out more by contacting us via:
o www.communityenergywales.org.uk
o 029 20 192021
o @CommEnergyWales
www.communityenergywales.org.uk