After a break for summer (and beyond), welcome to a bumper Energy Local newsletter - including updates, grant opportunities and job vacancies.
What GB Energy means for local power – and how you can help
At Energy Local, we welcome the launch of the government's Great British Energy company and the Local Power Plan, "putting local authorities and communities at the heart of restructuring our energy economy".
The plan will "roll out small and medium‑scale renewable energy projects...to develop up to 8G W of cheaper, cleaner power" to include more local ownership.
This sounds promising and is a step in the right direction.
However, for this to succeed, the UK government must also rapidly address the lack of capacity in local electricity networks, and streamline regulations so more communities can benefit from cheaper power.
We want to assist the government to work through these challenges and we would love your help.
More will be revealed in coming weeks....
Energy Local's funding win for village heat and power system
Imagine you and all your neighbours living in warm and comfortable homes, free from fuel bill anxiety, with heating drawn from a community-owned renewable resource.
We're on a mission to make this reality for the village of Tanygrisiau in Eryri/Snowdonia, with a community project linking together energy efficiency retrofitting and locally sourced renewable heat and power.
Our partnership with Cwmni Bro Ffestiniog, Ynni Cymunedol Twrog and Cyngor Gwynedd (Gwynedd Council) has won funding from the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme to develop the project, which will include upskilling local people.
At Energy Local we view local "whole systems" approaches as key to tackling climate change and fuel poverty – with this pioneering project we want to show how this can work in practice.
If you're based in north-west Wales and interested in helping, see We're hiring! below for details of two paid job roles.
First club with supplier 100Green launches in Totnes
Congratulations to Energy Local Totnes in Devon, our first club to launch with the supplier 100Green! The club is using solar and hydropower electricity and has so far welcomed nine household members, with plans to grow to 200 in the next few months.
Huge thanks to Jem Friar and the directors, led by Sally Murrall-Smith, who have worked tirelessly to get it off the ground.
Global documentary features Energy Local Bethesda
Earlier this year members of Energy Local Bethesda welcomed filmmakers on behalf of the international non-profit Localfutures.org, and were included in their documentary The Power of Local, which was released on World Localization Day on June 21.
You can see the trailer here and Energy Local Bethesda appears at 34:44 in the full film, which features communities around the world who are working on solutions for sustainable living.
Don't miss: grant funding available to community projects
Are you interested in helping your community to set up an Energy Local Club? Here are some funding opportunities currently available to help you with feasibility and set up costs:
Energy Redress Scheme – Just Transition Fund
The fund – worth a total £5m - will award grants between £20,000 and £250,000 to individual projects in England, Scotland and Wales to develop renewable energy projects that benefit those most in need. The deadline for applications to the first round of the Just Transition Fund is 5pm on 19 November 2024.
Northern Powergrid Foundation
The Northern Powergrid foundation, which covers the north-east of England, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, has also opened a funding round. Previous projects funded included solar panels, heat pumps and generators for community and parish halls. Grants of up to £20,000 are available for projects that are in line the charity's key priority areas of community resilience, fuel poverty innovation and net zero networks.
We're hiring!
Club development manager – we're looking for someone ideally located in Scotland or the north-east of England to join our team and help us roll out more Energy Local clubs. It's a flexible, part-time, home-based role with some travel.
Community Heat and Power Project Developer – Our ambitious district heat project in Tanygrisiau, Gwynedd, needs two people (who are based in north-west Wales and speak or are learning Welsh) to set up a 'CESCo' – a community energy service company. These are 'four day a week' roles - one requires some technical knowledge, while the second calls for business development experience. Both need a passion for community-led regeneration and renewable power as part of this pioneering project!
Every 2nd Monday of the month we hold a drop-in session at 2pm for officials, advisors, and any interested club members or upcoming club organisers. Send us an email if you would like to join the call.
We also hold regular introductory calls for anyone interested in
setting up a club - the details for these can be found on the Energy Local website.