Welcome to our February newsletter, with news of opportunities to join several Energy Local clubs. PLUS how you can play a role in improving the rules around local energy markets!
Join our campaign on UK local energy trading!
Would you like to help influence UK electricity policy to benefit more local communities? We would love your help please...
Our Energy Local clubs have been UK pioneers of local energy trading, lowering bills, boosting renewable energy production and empowering communities.
We’re now working to improve UK electricity trading rules to help more people benefit from local energy markets.
If you want to play a role in making this change happen, you can write to your MP by using the materials on our campaign page here. Please adapt the draft letter and include the two-page briefing paper which explains more.
In the spring, possibly in April, there will also be a public consultation on the P441 amendment to electricity regulations. We will highlight this closer to the time as it’s another good opportunity to back these changes.
We’re grateful for your support!
Seven Energy Local clubs recruiting new members
We have more clubs now welcoming new members or compiling a waiting list of those who want to pay less for electricity while supporting local renewable power!
Click on the club to find out more and sign up.
Open now to new members:
Dyffryn Banw - in Llanerfyl and Llangadfan, Powys
North Oxfordshire - Hook Norton and Sibfords area - centred around OX15 post code
Totnes, Devon - Totnes and surrounding parishes
Isles of Scilly - the whole of the Isles of Scilly
Get on the waiting list:
The following clubs are not currently accepting new members but are gathering the names of interested people for future reference.
Capel Dewi, Carmarthenshire - Capel Dewi, Llanllwni, Pencader, Llanybydder, Llanfihangel-Ar-Arth
Llandysul, Ceredigion - Llandysul, Saron, Drefach, Rhos, Hermon & Alltwalis
Machynlleth, Powys - Machynlleth, Pennal, Corris, Eglwysfach & surrounds
Project developers get ball rolling on mountain heat and power network
This pioneering project in Tanygrisiau, Eryri (Snowdonia), in partnership with Cwmni Bro and Cyngor Gwynedd (Gwynedd council), will establish a district heat and power network, connecting up a communal water heat pump at a nearby reservoir.
Two project developers have now joined to help make this happen and are keen to hear from local people:
Ben Winterbourn has experience as an environmental scientist and researcher. He’s also worked as an instrumentation engineer and as an electrician focussing on solar PV and energy storage.
He said: “I am excited to start in this role - we want to develop the most appropriate solutions for local needs using locally available resources and the most efficient use of energy.”
Fran Kohn-Hollins comes from a sports events background (and she was once a GBR White Water Rafting World Champion).
She said: "I'm passionate about sustainability and it is so exciting to be part of a passionate group of people who want to help raise up their local community, whilst also tackling high energy costs and climate change all in one go.”
Ben and Fran would love to talk to residents and hear their views on the project, the resources and the technologies. They can be reached on ben@energylocal.org.uk and frances@energylocal.org.uk.
Totnes team's perseverance paves the way for more Energy Local clubs
As another new batch of members of Energy Local Totnes ‘go live’ as part of the club in Devon, we thought it time to sing the praises of the team behind it. We had a few false starts and had to change the first generator. This was also the first larger-sized club for supplier 100green.
Thanks everyone for your perseverance and for paving the way for others, including North Oxfordshire and Dyffryn Banw in Powys, which have been able to launch much more quickly.