The Energy Society
The Energy Society works closely with Community Power Cornwall to facilitate and take a direct stake in joint ventures with local landowners and commercial partners. It not only gives local people a leadership role with these developments, but also allows commercial energy generation to meet local needs and enables local communities to participate through public share offers, benefit funds and service packages, which also provides employment opportunities for community development workers to deliver local projects.
The Energy Society currently has a direct stake in a 500 kW wind turbine with a local farmer at Lawhitton, Launceston and other projects in the pipeline.
Generation and savings – August 2015 – September 2018 = 4,009,795 kWh saving 1,634 tonnes of CO²e (Based on annual greenhouse gas reporting figures DECC/DEFRA)
Other benefits: The project provides a local community benefit fund of £10,000/yr and comunity services package to the value of an additional £10,000/yr for the 20 year lifetime of the project.
Projects supported to date include:
– A publically accessible defibrillator for Lawhitton Parish
– Replacement of the flat roof for the Parish Hall, incorporating roof insulation
– A direct contribution to the insurance costs for St.Michael’s church, Lawhitton, enabling the listed church to stay open and offer a range of services to the community (funerals, weddings, weekly services, etc)
– The provision of two sight screens for Launceston cricket club enabling youth and women’s teams to benefit from improved facilities.
– Provision for V learning net to provide a year’s programme to engage elderly and vulnerable residents of Lawhitton in improved computer/internet literacy and remote access to services such as banking and prescriptions.
– Painting and decorating of the main room in the Parish Hall.
Helford Energy Society (no. 31351 R)
The Low Carbon Society
The Low Carbon Society is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) that operates a revolving loan fund to finance and support local, independent energy co-ops. The Society has the ability to offer loan or equity finance with all proposals assessed through a peer review panel. Peers develop skills, experience and knowledge through the support and development of Community Power Cornwall.
Initial start-up capital for this CDFI was secured in 2008 with further finance provided through a credit facility with Cornwall Council. Finance secured through the Low Carbon Society also provides communities with the ability to leverage mainstream finance.
The Low Carbon Society provides a £2.7m loan facility with an active loan book of £3.25m and has helped communities to save over 3,156 tonnes of CO2e from entering the atmosphere (September 2018).
The Low Carbon Society were proud winners of the ‘Best contribution to a sustainable energy economy’ category at the Cornwall Sustainability Awards 2018.
Community Energy Enterprises supported by the Low Carbon Society to date:
Community Power Cornwall
Location: Gorran
2 x 80KW Endurance wind turbines
Total loan value – £454, 168
Community Power Cornwall
Location: BF Adventure, Halvasso
10 Aircon wind turbine
Total loan value – £50,000
Energy Society
Location: Lawhitton, Launceston
Joint stake in a 500KW EWT wind turbine
Total loan value – £376,543
Wadebridge Energy Company
Location: Nanstallon, southy West Water sewage treatment works
100KW ground mount Solar PV
Total loan value – £101,000
Penwith Energy Services Company
Location: Humphry Davy School, Penzance
153.66KW Roof mounted Solar PV
Total loan value: £268, 473
Fowey Renewable Energy Enterprise
Location: Penhale camping and caravan site, Fowey
50KW Roof mounted Solar PV
Total loan value: £46,000
Tamar Energy Community
Location: Tamar Valley & Tavistock
Roof Mounted Solar PV
Total loan value: £285,000
Community Power Cornwall
Location : St.Cleer School & Liskeard School and Community College
29.9kW and 37.44kW respectively of Roof Mounted Solar PV
Total loan value: £71,000
Community Power Cornwall
Acquisition of West Country Renewables
5 roof mounted solar PV arrays and 3 small wind turbines in Cornwall and South Devon
Total loan value: £1,430,000
FAL Energy Partnership
Location: The Dracaena Centre, Falmouth
29.9 kW Roof Mounted Solar PV system
Total loan value: £25,000
Community Power Cornwall
Location: Newlyn Fish Market
150 kW Roof mounted Solar PV system
Total loan value: £143,000
For further information about the Low Carbon Society, please contact [email protected] or call 07752 818 759
Illogan Green Ripple
The Illogan Green Ripple (IGR) project aimed to engage a whole community in Cornwall in the South West of the UK with the benefits of domestic renewable energy installations. The holistic approach combined energy efficiency with waste management and water conservation. Green Ripple set out to raise levels of education and awareness around these environmental issues, instigating behavioural change and providing a lasting legacy for the community.
IGR have an operational portfolio of 8 small Solar PV arrays on 7 domestic properties and the local shop.
Community Power Cornwall has been helping IGR to manage their assets, addressing maintenance, meter reads, payments, compliance and offering other ancillary support.