Community Energy Resources

Cornwall County Council - Renewable Energy planning guidance notes

Paul McIntosh — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:51:02 +0000

Research

Technology

Planning

Renewable Energy Planning Guidance Notes

Cornwall County Council have prepared a series of renewable energy planning guidance notes to assist householders, communities and developers in bringing forward their development ambitions. These guidance notes include:

1. <50kW solar photovoltaic and solar thermal (March 2012)

2. >50kW solar photovoltaic (March 2012)

3. Onshore Wind (March 2012)

4. Anaerobic Digestion (March 2012)

5. Hydropower (March 2012)

co-operative renewable energy in the uk - a guide to this growing sector

Paul McIntosh — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:29:43 +0000

Case studies

Research

Funding models

Planning

Structures and legal

Co-operatively-owned energy generation is a vibrant and growing sector in the UK. The first co‑operatively-owned wind turbines, Baywind in Cumbria, started turning in 1997. Since then, over 7,000 individual investors have ploughed over £16 million into community-owned renewable energy.
This report summarises insights gained from visits to five co-operatively owned energy projects during the summer of 2011.

It will be of interest to:

ofgem feed-in-tariff update website link

Paul McIntosh — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:22:29 +0000

Policy updates

Ofgem produces a quarterly review of installations which come under the remit of the feed-in-tariff. Since the introduction of the tariff there has been a sharp increase in the uptake of installations. The site also provides policy updates, as well as the latest rates for the tariff. With this fast moving, and changing area a good site to get the information directly from the regulator.

Report - Communities: Transforming the energy market through local energy production

Paul McIntosh — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:32:42 +0000

Case studies

Research

Think tank ResPublica has published a report urging the government to work more closely to promote community renewable energy schemes. The green paper, 'Re-energising our Communities: Transforming the energy market through local energy production', sets out a series of 10 recommendations for government to increase the number of community-led microgeneration schemes, such as solar installations and small wind farms.

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/Report_Sets_Out_Recommendations_for_Increasing_Community_Microgeneration%5B1%5D.pdf

Understanding the Green Attitudes of Dorset Residents

Ian Tipper — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:20:37 +0000

Case studies

Research

Toolkits

Environmental Attitudes
The environment is playing an increasingly important role in the way the county council interact with the people of Dorset, and more pressure is being put on organisations to understand and help encourage a shift in the attitudes and behaviours of Dorset residents.

In response to this demand and a need for greater understanding, CACI have produced Green ACORN; an individual level classification that features seven major groups.

The groups are as follow:

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/Understanding%20the%20Green%20Attitudes%20of%20Dorset%20Residents.pdf

Hydropower - EA Guide

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:07:56 +0000

Case studies

Technology

Planning

Networks / sites with multiple resources

This guide will help you think through the issues associated with developing a hydropower scheme in England and Wales and explain how the Energy Saving Trust and the Environment Agency can help you to develop sustainable hydropower for your home and your community.

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/Hydropower_Environment_Agency_Community_guide.pdf

Rough Guide to Community Energy

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:06:00 +0000

Case studies

Research

Technology

Funding models

Planning

Structures and legal

Toolkits

Policy updates

This book is designed to explain what community energy projects are and to help readers set one up, but also to celebrate and showcase some of the pioneering
schemes that have been launched so far. These projects should be a source of inspiration for anyone interested in getting involved in tackling climate change or building communities – and they come with a wealth of insights into what does and doesn’t work.

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/Rough%20Guide%20to%20Community%20Energy.pdf

Local Government Association renewables website with case studies

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:18:43 +0000

Case studies

This Local Government Association renewables website contains a number of case studies of projects. Listed below:

Energy planning

Stockport’s energy opportunities and policies

Mapping the potential for sustainable energy in Cheshire East

Biomass

Barnsley sets off biomass boilers

Enabling the Transition to a Green Economy: Government and Businesses Working Together

Paul McIntosh — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 08:21:19 +0000

Research

Policy updates

The Government has published a document that outlines a number of actions towards achieving a green economy and boosting economic growth in the UK.

Enabling the Transition to a Green Economy: Government and Businesses Working Together outlines a number of planned actions towards achieving a green economy and boosting economic growth in the UK.

The document maps out the Government's plans, through to 2020, in the following areas:

PlanLoCaL resources

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:14:07 +0000

Case studies

Planning

Networks / sites with multiple resources

The PlanLoCaL website enables users to explore links between low carbon living and other local priorities, such as community buildings, housing and health. The website also hosts over 40 short films and an in-depth resources pack to assist community groups with establishing their own renewable energy projects.
Community groups are encouraged to use these free resources for their own projects and events.

Funding Revolution - A guide to establishing and running a low-carbon community revolving fund

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:08:06 +0000

Research

Funding models

Structures and legal

Funding revolution is a written guide to establishing and running low-carbon community revolving funds. Forum for the Future wrote it in collaboration with Bates Wells & Braithwaite solicitors (BWB) to show communities how they can use smart finance to kick-start carbon saving projects like these in their area and make their investments go further.

Community-Owned Renewable Energy Projects Evidence for their development, funding and sustainability

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:04:57 +0000

Case studies

Research

This research provides a summary of the literature and evidence relating to community
renewable energy projects. It focuses on the practical examples of community-owned
renewables, to consider the way they develop, what benefits they bring, how they have been
funded and how they can be sustained. Annex 1 contains a complete list of the evidence
that has been reviewed.

Specifically, the report is designed to answer the questions set by Community Energy Plus (CEP), across four areas:

Opportunities and Barriers for Communities to Secure at-risk Finance for the Development of Revenue-generating Renewable Energy Projects

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:17:37 +0000

Research

Funding models

This research investigates the opportunities and barriers for communities to secure at-risk finance for the development of revenue-generating renewable energy projects. Such projects deliver multiple benefits to communities, whilst helping to tackle climate change, increase energy security and bring about cultural change. There is a growing interest within UK energy policy for the role that these projects can play in the transition to a low carbon economy, matched by a growing demand from communities to develop them.

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/at_risk_finance_for_community_renewables.pdf

Ten steps for community organisations to install solar power plants on the roofs of local public buildings

Paul McIntosh — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:15:29 +0000

Research

Technology

Funding models

Planning

Toolkits

Community solar power plants or “Buergersolar” as they are known in Germany, have helped many local German communities on the way to implementing their own local carbon reduction strategies with the aim of becoming self-sufficient in renewable energy. There are numerous case studies on the net of successful German community PV projects managed by locally formed organisations.

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/Community%20PV%20info%20leaflet.pdf

Dorset Community Energy Conference - 2010

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:42:13 +0000

Case studies

Past events and presentations

Funding models

Structures and legal

Community Sustainable Energy Conference 17th April 2010

The Dorset Energy Group held a successful Community Sustainable Energy Conference in the Dorford Centre, Dorchester, on Saturday 17th April 2010, which was attended by 50 people.

The conference was organised to facilitate the development of community scale sustainable energy projects in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole.

Examples of community projects could be:

Community Energy Online - Resource

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:35:51 +0000

Networks / sites with multiple resources

This resource has been developed to support local authorities and community groups in their role as initiators, supporters and developers of local low carbon and renewable energy projects.

Communityshares / investment /structures - factsheets

Paul McIntosh — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:06:25 +0000

Structures and legal

Toolkits

Selection of Factsheets by Communityshares on
Factsheet 1: What is community investment?
Factsheet 2: People and communities
Factsheet 3: Shares and bonds
Factsheet 4: Financial promotions
Factsheet 5: Capital finance
Factsheet 6: Legal structures
Factsheet 7: Feasibility studies

Development model article for community energy group

Paul McIntosh — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 01:27:18 +0000

Case studies

Structures and legal

Toolkits

Community carbon reduction groups a model for formation and development

The UK Government Coalition Agreement explicitly encourages community-owned renewable
energy schemes. Recent work has led to the creation of a standardised model for the developmentof community energy groups, says Jon d’Este-Hoare. This document outlines the model, and appeared as an article in the Environmentalist Magazine.

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/ENV%20issue%20105%20d%27este-hoare.pdf

Investing in Community Shares

Paul McIntosh — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:54:11 +0000

Structures and legal

Toolkits

This guide explains what community shares are, and will help inform your decision on whether you should invest in a community share offer. It focuses exclusively on organisations that are registered with the Financial Services Authority as co-operatives or community benefit societies, which are subject to different legislation from companies, and have their own unique form of shares. At the back of the guide there is an A to Z of technical terms that you might
come across in a share offer document. The guide has been produced by the Community Shares programme, a government-funded project working with ten community organisations in England, all of which are using community shares to finance their

Sharenergy presentation on community renewables

Paul McIntosh — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:36:12 +0000

Case studies

Structures and legal

Past events and presentations

Presentation gave to the Community Sustainable Energy Group by Jon Halle from Sharenergy.

http://www.sustainabledorset.org.uk/sites/sustainabledorset.org.uk/files/publications/share_energy_presentation.pdf