Summary of the EU INTERREG Project SEACS
(Sustainable Energy Across the Common Space)

Background information

SEACS is an EU funded project running from April 2011- March 2014 to support sustainable energy activities in schools, public buildings and communities. INTERREG projects are based on European cross–border co-operation in areas of common interest between the partners. The common interest can be cultural, environmental, economic etc, but the overall requirement is there should be co-operation and sharing experience between the partners in different countries and not completely separate projects in each of the partner countries.

Partners

The project is funded through the INTERREG IVA Manche (Channel) programme which includes partners from South and SW England and Normandy and Brittany in France. The Partners in the SEACS project are Devon CC (lead partner), Wiltshire Council, Dorset CC, Conseil General Des Cotes d’Armor (County Council in Brittany) Lannion Tregor Agglomeration (an association of Town Councils in Brittany based in Lannion, 30km north of Roscoff).

Budget

SEACS activities are divided into 2 “work packages” – schools and communities
Dorset CC is mainly working with schools, including schools energy audits and funding a schools energy officer to work with pupils on energy awareness projects.
Dorset CC also included in the funding bid a budget of approx £7,500 to support sustainable energy activities, behavioural change and awareness raising in 8 Dorset communities, plus officer time to support the community work package. The INTERREG funding covers 50% of eligible projects costs. Dorset CC has agreed to provide the 50% match funding required for the community work package (i.e. £7500 total expenditure of which £3750 is provided by EU INTERREG funding and 50% by Dorset CC). Note communities must be in Dorset, not Bournemouth or Poole, as Dorset CC is the legal partner in the project.

The Dorset community work package budget breakdown is as follows:

Training for community groups £5,300
Purchase of 60 electricity monitors £1,800
Publicity and room hire £600
(plus Dorset CC staff costs to support project delivery)

Core activities for the community energy work package

• Purchase of 60 electricity display monitors for 8 community groups to provide on free loan to members or their community over an extended period (e.g. several months per household). The community groups would be responsible for the loan system and passing on the monitors.
• A project launch meeting in each participating community
• Training in household and community scale sustainable energy will be available to members of participating communities.
• Information sharing through a SEACS project website including the opportunity to learn from and liaise with similar community-based sustainable energy activities supported by Wiltshire Council, Devon CC and the 2 French project partners.

Additional optional activities

• Producing You Tube videos demonstrating real life examples of actions households have taken to save energy and practical hints and tips from local people.

• Presentations on renewable energy from householders who have already installed renewable energy technologies.

• Preparing an energy action plan for a community.

• Logging energy use data through websites such as I measure and We Save

• Use of the newer “Community” energy display monitors which can record electricity use and compare with other households through a website.

• Free loan of a thermal imaging camera to community groups and training in how to use it

• Volunteer energy audits of community buildings

• Support to deliver a limited number of community- based practical renewable energy projects (e.g. solar PV on a community hall financed by a local share issue)

• Sharing information between Dorset community energy groups through a project newsletter and the Sustainable Dorset website.

Community work package project delivery

All community energy groups will be expected to participate in the electricity monitor loan scheme managed locally within their own communities. Other options from the bullet points above are optional on a pick-and -mix basis depending on the level of interest within each community. Other ideas are also welcome. It is envisaged there will be an initial public meeting in each community to launch the project and on-going co-operation between the 8 participating community groups (e.g. sharing information, joint training, contributions to the project newsletter and project website)

Project meetings and co-operation with partners

Devon, Wiltshire and Lannion and Cotes d’Armor are also planning community-based energy activities which will be shared through a SEACS project website. There will be an opportunity to attend project meetings- for example a community energy event is planned in Totnes in early November 2011 with presentations from Transition Town Totnes and the Transition Streets project.

Next steps

An expression of interest form will be circulated to community groups in early September 2011. The 8 participating community groups will be selected by mid October based on their level of interest. The timescale for delivery of the community work package will be 2 years from October 2011- October 2013.