tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43638165417262754732024-03-13T11:24:36.296-07:00Community energy in TotnesThe Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC) is a community financed social business providing profitable community owned renewable energy.
This blog is provided by the Tresoc Team managing the enterprise.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-50740005614991062732016-06-22T10:52:00.001-07:002016-06-22T10:52:29.478-07:00Tresoc - dispatches from the front line of community renewable energy development D<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ear all</span><br />
<br />
Its been over 6 months since the Tresoc Team reported on the state of affairs of the Society to our loyal and patient members at the AGM. Our press releases and members emails tend to focus on newsworthy events but its been quite busy at Tresoc control since December and now seems to be a good time for an update on progress in achieving what we set out to do at the AGM; to bring Tresoc into profit in the current financial year. <br />
<br />
Following the AGM, we've completed the award winning SHINE Project with South Devon Rural Housing Association with the proceeds of our 2014 share offer and drawn down a loan of £168,000 from the Charity Bank to purchase the solar roof at Hatchlands Farm. <br />
<br />
Some of you have taken up the exclusive offer to Tresoc members to buy shares in Dart Renewables Ltd, the developers and owners of the hydro power station at Totnes Weir, now supplying KEVICCs and the Foundry on Babbage Road Industrial Estate with cheap, carbon neutral electricity. This has had the additional happy effect of giving the Tresoc coffers a bit of a boost for the benefit of all our members. In return for promoting the share offer, Tresoc has received £9,120 in cash, 3% of the total £304,000 raised, plus 1% of the shares in DRL, a company with a current market value i.r.o. £3,000,000. <br />
<br />
It's highly encouraging to be working with the Charity and Triodos banks, both supporting development of the community energy sector, with a positive view of the prospects for sustainable growth.<br />
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2 weeks ago, in association with the Hydrosense Consortium and Triodos Bank, Tresoc established the Staverton Hydro Community Benefit Society Ltd to develop, own and operate a new 100 kW hydro power station at Staverton Leat. Fishtek, members of the Hydrosense Consortium, have been engaged over the past year with local anglers and the Environment Agency to obtain an abstraction licence to draw water through the leat. Tresoc has started work with Staverton residents to explore how best to ensure that the power plant will be of real benefit to the local community. We're aiming to be ready to raise capital through a share offer organised by Triodos Bank at the end of 2016, to build and commission in the Spring of 2017. <br />
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Right now, we're consolidating all the legal and administrative work involved in the ownership and operation of these assets into Tresoc's business management systems. We're also upgrading our financial capabilities with staff training in Sage business software, from our accountants, Darnells, in preparation for the next phase of the Society's growth. Amongst many other functions, Sage will enable us to improve the speed and accuracy of our financial forecasting and calculate how much interest we expect to pay to members from projected profit in the current year. With that piece of information, and depending on the rate of interest we can afford to pay, we are considering another small Tresoc share offer to finance new community owned solar roof installations at Lescaze House and Bidwell Brook School in Dartington.<br />
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Also back on the drawing board is on-farm anaerobic digestion at Old Parsonage Farm, Dartington with new tenant farmer, Jon Perkin, the Dartington Hall Trust and Totnes company, New Generation Biogas. We have a new Tresoc intern about to contact local catering establishments to see if we can find a way to make it easier and more profitable for them to put their food waste into a bin to supplement farmyard manure feedstock for the digester. Food "waste" not only makes the operation more productive but also adds valuable nutrients to the digestate for use as a high quality, balanced fertiliser on the farm.<br />
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I'm pleased to say that there are other projects in the pipeline at this very exciting period in the growth of community owned renewable energy in Totnes, and beyond. It's hard to judge how much information to make public about projects in the early stages of development in a commercially competitive environment. One thing that is certain about a business plan is that it never turns out exactly as expected but we are acutely aware of the value of keeping our members informed about what we're doing and where we're heading. <br />
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This is my first excursion into the blogosphere and your constructive comments would be most welcome. I can't commit to answer every question that might be raised in your comments but please be assured that they will be noted. Do please feel free to ask me about Tresoc if you see me in Totnes. And here's to more sunshine and rain, plenty of both at the moment, fuelling the growth of your local community owned renewable energy Society!<br />
<br />
Ian Bright<br />
Managing Director<br />
22nd June 2016<br />
<br />Ian Brighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03207866579922811427noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-34527496438917507942016-02-16T02:24:00.001-08:002016-02-16T02:25:19.157-08:00How do we continue the growth of renewable energy?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">An energy system based on renewable sources is
the future. So how fast can we get there at a reasonable cost? What are the
barriers? These debates have come to the forefront of UK politics with the Paris
climate change agreement and the focus on cost control from government.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The renewable energy sector contributed 25.3% of
the UK electricity generation in the second quarter of 2015 up from just 4% in
2008. The south west is seeing some of the most pronounced gains, due to our
excellent wind and solar resources. The dramatic growth in renewables in the
south west is testament to the dynamic companies and entrepreneurs who have
driven the sector. The south west has
also seen an explosion of community energy groups developing their own local
energy resources for the benefits of their community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The key challenge for renewable energy in the UK
is drastic reductions in support from the government – at the same time as they
are propping up fossil fuel and nuclear generators. The new subsidy system for small
scale renewables (Feed-in Tariff or FIT) has a system of caps on deployment and
less budget. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, outside the UK there is a rapid global
shift towards renewables. We are close to grid parity in some technologies –
the point at which renewable energy does not require subsidy support in order
to be viable. This has largely been driven by reductions in cost, for example
solar PV prices are 80% lower than in 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other key barrier to development of new
renewable energy projects in the south west is the lack of capacity on the
electricity distribution network (grid), particularly for larger projects (more
than 50kW – approx. 182 solar PV panels). Installations need a connection in order to
export their electricity to the grid and gain an income. Household
installations are still viable in most cases. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are solutions to challenges posed by the
limits on the grid including: flexible grid connection agreements - used to
limit the amount of electricity exported to the grid at certain times; energy
storage alongside renewables to reduce peak output; and demand side response -
where consumers adjust the amount of electricity they use at particular times
in response to a signal (e.g. a price reduction) from a supplier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Renewable
energy is at a cross roads, having grown rapidly it is now having to adapt to
continue that success without government support. The solution is a radical
smart decentralised energy system – which the south west is well placed to
lead.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mDvTzwIteIk/VsL39kAemBI/AAAAAAAAFU8/pHjPe7S1Hms/s1600/Grid%2Bpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mDvTzwIteIk/VsL39kAemBI/AAAAAAAAFU8/pHjPe7S1Hms/s320/Grid%2Bpic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-41345024084802110352015-10-20T04:42:00.000-07:002015-11-03T05:09:18.339-08:00Punishing the success?<span style="font-family: inherit;">Renewable energy capacity in the UK has grown in the
last few years. The statistics of this show its importance in the energy mix.
For example, in the first quarter of 2015 the share of electricity generation
reached by renewables was 22.3%. That’s almost a quarter for that annual quarter!
Or put another way, renewable energy (RE) generated 21.2 billion kWh<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[i]</span></span></span></a> – that is equivalent to providing
electricity to 21.2 million average UK households for that quarter. That is 80%
of all households in the UK<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[ii]</span></span></span></a>. Impressive! Important?
Indeed! Of course, to keep it in context, most of the electricity generated by
renewables feeds the national grid and is therefore not only used for
households. But, as an illustration, if it was: almost all UK households would be
powered by RE in Q1 of 2015! But, oh, the current government seems to think RE
is not worth subsidising, that there is enough RE now - that its better to woo the
Chinese to invest in nuclear and to support fracking. Nuclear, with its dubious
long-term business plan (how do you plan for waste disposal costs that stretch
way into the future), and fracking with its dubious short-term business case
(wells don’t last very long)…. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That first quarter of this year the RE generation was
an increase on the same period in 2014 and this was largely due to an increase
in RE capacity. Which was an increase on the year before. Imagine if we could
keep that up – we’d soar past a quarter of all electricity generated being very
low or no carbon! We’d power the equivalent of more than all the houses in the
UK. Surely, when a new industry has risen so spectacularly to the challenge, it
should be promoted and lauded? Allowed to sprint ahead? Instead its legs are
being cut off at the knees. That is what the radical and sudden slashing of
feed-in-tariffs (FiTs) is doing. Did you know that 148,000kW of capacity was
installed under the FiT in Q1 of 2015. That brought the total up to 3.6 million
kW of RE installed, thanks to the support it was getting! You could switch on
about 1.5 million electric kettles all at once with a capacity like that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In fact all RE increased – onshore wind from 6.7TWh
for Q1 in 2014 to 7TWh for Q1 in 2015, offshore wind increased by 22%, hydro by
9.5% and PV by 3.6%. In Scotland the stats are really impressive: in 2014 half
of all the electricity used came from renewables! In the first quarter of 2015
wind power produced the equivalent of the needs of nearly 4 million Scottish
homes for that quarter<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn3" name="_ednref3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. In June wind supplied a
third of all Scotland’s electricity needs. This was an increase of 120% over
the year before<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn4" name="_ednref4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>.
Then, as if that wasn’t amazing enough, in July wind broke its own record
supplying 36% of all electricity needs (or 72% of all Scottish homes): a
whopping 660 million kWh. On eight days of that windy month 100% of Scottish
homes were supplied by wind power<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn5" name="_ednref5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>! A significant player in
the energy mix? Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But. I wonder if we will be able to say the same in Q1
of 2016. With the proposed almost 90% cut in FiT for solar PV and the halting
of onshore wind, it is likely that very little, if any, new capacity will be
added in early 2016. It’s confusing, seeing that the stats are so impressive.
You’d think it would be further supported, that the politicians would blow
their trumpets. They’d pat each other on the back and continue with the program
that has been so successful and produced so many jobs and powered a significant
portion of Britain’s electricity needs – all with near zero carbon emissions. How
isn’t that a success story? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the meantime, globally RE electricity has just
become the second largest source of electricity at 22% of the total<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn6" name="_ednref6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. Over the last 25 years
global solar PV has averaged increase of early 45% a year, while wind increased
at just over 27%.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Indeed, it is a success story! </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let’s be clear. RE subsidies do need to be slowly
phased out. But this should be done at a rate to allow the industry to mature,
to gain grid parity and in consultation with the industry. Let’s be even more
clear – its not as if fossil technologies are NOT getting subsidies and
support. They are! So then these should be phased out too – maybe more rapidly
seeing they are larger and been applied for longer. The International Monetary
Fund states that the UK fossil fuel sector is receiving subsidies of more than
£26 billion this year – that is more than 7 times that of renewable energy<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn7" name="_ednref7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[vii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. Renewable Energy World
published that in the OECD states there are 800 ways taxpayer money supports
fossil fuel industries and at about $167 billion - far exceeds the value of
subsidies for renewables. An example is that the oil industry is able to write
off most drilling costs in full and immediately, rather than at normal business
depreciation costs<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_edn8" name="_ednref8" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">[viii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>.
This is NOT a level playing field! And yet RE is considered “too expensive”
compared to fossil fuels….?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As the Renewable Energy Association puts it, the “bonfire
of renewable policies” continues. If I was an outside bystander I’d be
interested to see how the UK government is going to respond to high-level
criticism of their new lack of support for this important industry, for
creating investor non-confidence, for costing jobs. But none of us are bystanders.
We are all affected by the UK government’s lack of vision, as the rest of the
world seems to be supporting renewable energy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Alastair Gets</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Director of Engineering</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="edn1">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span lang="EN-US">Electricity consumption 94.9TWh in
Q1 of 2015 [gov.uk]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn2">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span lang="EN-US">The average unadjusted electricity
consumption per household in 2014 was 4,001 kilowatt hours (kWh), [DECC, ECUK
Tables 3.07] and there are about 26.5 million households in the UK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn3">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_ednref3" name="_edn3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span lang="EN-US">Calculated from figures from renews
(online) article 25/6/15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn4">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_ednref4" name="_edn4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span lang="EN-US">Figures from renews (online) article
6/7/15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn5">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_ednref5" name="_edn5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span lang="EN-US">Figures from renews (online) article
4/8/15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn6">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_ednref6" name="_edn6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <a href="http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/news/2015/august/renewable-electricity-generation-climbs-to-second-place-after-coal.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">International Energy Agency</span></a><span lang="EN-US"> as cited by Alex Kirby of Climate
News Network, August 19, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn7">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/ofrankland/Downloads/RE%20blog.docx#_ednref7" name="_edn7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[vii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span lang="EN-US">Calculated from renews (online)
article 4/8/15<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Article by Kraemer, S.
Renewable Energy World, June 10, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-1074210937395378502015-02-28T01:36:00.002-08:002015-02-28T01:36:51.239-08:00Community energy shines<div class="MsoNormal">
TRESOC is poised to launch the Shine Project! This is an
extensive social housing roof-top solar project in the South Hams. It is worth
noting that in 2014, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change
(DECC), more than 125,000 homes in the UK installed roof-top solar photovoltaic
(PV) systems. The Shine Project alone will add over 70 homes to the 2015 tally.
The installations will benefit from the feed-in tariff (FiT) offered by Ofgem,
which gives a set income for each unit of electricity generated for the next 20
years. At the same time the tenants of the homes benefit from reduced
electricity costs. Looking more broadly, the Solar Trade Association stated
that 700MW of PV FiT projects were completed in 2014 in the UK. That is
equivalent to about 58 million low-energy light bulbs! Ofgem reports that overall
in the UK the FiT scheme has passed 3GW of installations. That is equivalent to
an impressive 250 million low energy lights bulbs or 1.2 million electric
kettles! The 3GW is made up of over half a million projects of which 99% are PV
projects. By the way, the SW comes about tops with 16% of all FiT projects
(London and the SE comes in second with 14%). </div>
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The scale of FiT installations is twice the number forecast
by DECC. Clearly when these schemes are introduced there is good uptake. This
reduces the need for building additional power stations - large infrastructure
projects taking years to complete and at increasingly huge budgets. The 3GW FiT
‘power station’ was completed in 4 years. How’s that for keeping the lights
burning! I have just returned from South Africa where the lights are not always
burning due to a lack of capacity. Load shedding is happening and South
Africans are subjected to electricity cuts for 2 hours a day on a rotational
basis – and this is expected to go on for 2 to 3 years at huge cost to business
and inconvenience residents. You may think, “Ah, but that is a developing
country”. Well, the UK is getting dangerously close to the same situation – in
winter 2011 there was a 17% reserve margin, this winter it is at only 4%. Generally
a reserve margin of 15% is accepted as robust and able to handle any unforeseen
power station failures – 4% seems quite a bit below this! In addition to
helping with capacity, the uptake of FiT clean energy projects would also contribute
to climate change mitigation. The UK Climate Change Act of 2008 sets out to
reduce carbon emissions by 80% from the 1990 baseline by 2050. Any electricity
generated by clean energy would help reach this target.</div>
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Decentralised locally owned power generation creates a more
stable network and better power security. For this reason, and those above, it should
be encouraged, right? So why then is the FiT programme being scaled back? The residential
roof top solar FiT will fall for the first time since 2012 after April this
year - that may well reduce the uptake. While it is widely thought that solar
will become the cheapest form of energy there is a transition period where
schemes such as the FiT will encourage the installation by community groups or
individuals and clean energy will be fed into the national grid. </div>
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Despite the regression of FiT the growth of community energy
continues to increase. Recently Albion Community Power in Scotland received a
£50million loan from the UK Green Investment Bank and a further £10million from
the Strathclyde Pension Fund. Albion is looking for £100million to invest in various
renewable energy projects such as run-of-river hydro projects - that is flow
through a hydro turbine and back into the river without major damming, similar
to the proposed hydro plant at the River Dart weir in Totnes. The first Albion
project is a 2MW hydro scheme in Chaorach north of Loch Lomond. The project
pipeline also extends to onshore wind on previously used, and often
contaminated, sites as well as projects of biogas from organic waste. </div>
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Business Secretary Vice Cable said in relation to Albion’s
plans: “Renewable energy is the future”. Indeed, a Mintel study stated that 77%
of people in the UK want more renewable energy and that 78% support PV on new
houses. The survey stated that if we have to have an electricity generating
plant in our backyard, then the most desirable is a solar farm while a large
portion said that nuclear was the least desirable. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>It
seems the sun is indeed shining on community and renewable energy!</div>
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Thanks to reNEWS (renews.biz) for much of the information
regurgitated here –a newsletter appears daily in my inbox!</div>
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Alastair Gets</div>
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Project Officer</div>
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TRESOC</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-80792218227597951742014-03-27T03:41:00.001-07:002014-03-27T03:43:56.400-07:00TRESOC Spring Share Issue – note from MD, Ian Bright<div style="line-height: 18.933284759521484px;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.933332443237305px;">We have a new look <a href="http://tresoc.co.uk/" target="_blank">website</a> to make it easier for our members and supporters to stay involved and up to date with the latest TRESOC news – more later in this article! We’ve also added an on-line Forum where TRESOC members can air their views, raise questions and generally chat about issues of the day. You can register using your name and membership number (on your share certificate). Only TRESOC members can comment and all posts can be seen on line.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 18.933332443237305px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.933332443237305px;"></span>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">And we’re kicking off the discussion with great news about our <span style="font-weight: bold;">1 MW for Totnes & District</span> Share Issue. Those of you who came to the AGM in December will know that following refusal of the Totnes Community Wind Farm planning application last year (see previous blog entry) we’ve been extra busy with other projects. All this hard work is now paying off in the form of new consented solar pv and hydro power projects. Specifically, we have reached agreement with South Devon Rural Housing Association to install solar panels on all of their suitable properties. The Survey work is nearly complete and over 100 households will soon enjoy a source of free electricity, helping out some of those most at risk of fuel poverty and supporting growth in the local economy through our project partnership with BECO Solar. TRESOC will benefit from the Feed in Tariff income, enabling payment of dividends to our members. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span lang="EN-GB"></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">We’ve also secured agreement with Dart Renewables for a £500,000 community investment in the hydro project at Totnes Weir, and more at other hydro power sites on the Rivers Teign and Dart. With extra solar schemes in the pipeline this adds up to a TRESOC investment package in consented local renewable energy projects with a combined value of more than £1.5 million. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">With the Government’s Community Energy Strategy and other measures<a href="https://dub121.mail.live.com/default.aspx?rru=inbox" name="_GoBack" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit;" target="_blank"></a> supporting growth in community renewables this is a huge opportunity for local people to earn a healthy income from large and small investments in local renewable energy installations. It will also provide TRESOC with working capital to develop more projects in solar, hydro and various forms of biomass – and who knows – maybe another wind project one day! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">We’re finishing off the detailed legal agreements necessary to realise these fantastic opportunities in our Share Issue, scheduled for April. Meanwhile, we’ll keep you informed of progress and look forward to hearing more from our members through the <a href="http://tresoc.co.uk/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=c7d8b79d0497085e6d7a28d01d2810bb" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit;" target="_blank">on-line Members Forum</a>.<span style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">Many thanks and best wishes to all TRESOC members and supporters,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">Ian Bright, Managing Director</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Totnes, Devon TQ9, UK50.433741 -3.685796999999979650.39306 -3.7668209999999798 50.474422 -3.6047729999999794tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-19829955013579724582014-03-06T09:34:00.000-08:002014-03-06T09:41:32.990-08:00River/tidal energy: The Anchor Stone Project<div style="line-height: 18.933284759521484px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The story of our Anchor Stone Channel research project demonstrates that making progress with Community Energy is as much about relationships as projects.<br /><br />Back in March 2013, TRESOC was hopeful that the channel of water passing through the Anchor Stone Channel, near the National Trust's Greenway property would be suitable for producing renewable energy at a small scale (kilowatts rather than megawatts).<br /><br />It had been observed that the water is around 20 meters deep just there, much deeper than at other parts of the river, and the strength of the tidal flow had carved out the channel at this point. The Anchor Stone is a pinch point, where large bodies of water from above Dittisham are forced through a narrow channel, by virtue of the topography... the perfect circumstances for a research project.<br /><br />In the summer of 2013, TRESOC collaborated with Plymouth University's School of Marine Science & Engineering to create a project for Masters student, Francesca Ford, to assess the potential for producing electricity there. Using the Plymouth University boat, Falcon Spirit, which came around the coast from Plymouth, a sonar measuring device was positioned on the river bed, just south of the Anchor Stone. Francesca analysed the data and wrote up the project as part of her Master’s degree. The strength and volume of flows in and out each day were measured for one month, to cover a full lunar cycle.<br /><br />As part of our community engagement efforts, we hosted a meeting in June 2013 in Dittisham where interested members of the community could attend to hear more about the project, and take a trip out on a boat to view the site. About 40 people came along to discuss what this might mean for the community, <span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">with many people in favour, in principle, of the idea. For a write up of this day with photos, by one of our supporters, visit The Occam's Typewriter Irregulars blog: </span></span><br /><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://occamstypewriter.org/irregulars/2013/07/09/from-raleighs-pipe-to-tidal-power/" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit;" target="_blank">http://occamstypewriter.org/irregulars/2013/07/09/from-raleighs-pipe-to-tidal-power/</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br />The results of Francesca Ford’s research were shared </span></span>at an event hosted by TRESOC, in the Civic Hall in Totnes on 4th December 2013. Unfortunately, Francesca determined that the average speed of the current at this particular location is not of sufficient speed to power an existing renewable energy device. Although the speed of the current is quite high at times, the average speed – including tides and periods of slack water – shows that there is insufficient volume of water and speed of flow to warrant the installation of a device.<br /><br />It is likely that at a future date, the technology develop such that the energy in low flow rates will be harnessed, opening up possibilities for Community Energy groups located along lots of rivers. This might take up to seven years, but the industry is moving in this direction, making ever more sensitive devices. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Just as importantly, our relationship with Plymouth University led to the entire MRE Masters cohort being involved in collaborative research, culminating in a presentation given at the same event (poster below): Investment Opportunities in Marine Renewable Energy in Devon and Cornwall. Their research highlights 4 possible areas that appear promising. Their presentation can be downloaded here (very large file size):<br /> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://dub121.mail.live.com/default.aspx?rru=inbox" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit;" target="_blank">https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16415034/TRESOC_MRE_4DEC_v2.pptx</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;">We look forward to hearin</span>g again from Plymouth University with more concrete proposals. Together we can make things happen.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18.933284759521484px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alix Riley, TRESOC</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Totnes, Devon TQ9, UK50.433741 -3.685796999999979650.39306 -3.7668209999999798 50.474422 -3.6047729999999794tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-46636615418870675432014-03-06T09:28:00.001-08:002014-03-06T09:28:57.491-08:00Totnes Community Wind Farm: no regrets<div style="line-height: 18.933332443237305px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">The founder members of the Totnes Renewable Energy Society were, and still are, an ambitious bunch of people.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">The sheer scale of the challenges of dealing with climate change and fossil fuel depletion demand big solutions.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Nor can the laws of physics be denied, and the simple fact is that wind turbines offer the most abundant and cost effective source of renewable energy available to us.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Finding suitable sites for wind turbines that meet planning and commercial criteria is a specialist job and a very great deal of professional expertise is needed to prepare a planning application.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">And so, in 2008, soon after the formation of the Society in 2007, we contacted Dorset based wind developer, Infinergy, to ask if they would be interested to work with a local community owned renewable energy society to explore the possibility of wind power </span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20.82666778564453px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><u></u></span></span></a><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">for Totnes and the surrounding parishes.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">When Infinergy ran their wind prospecting software they found, as other wind developers have found before them; that the best local site for wind development, taking all planning criteria into account, is at Luscombe Cross.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">There followed 18 months of careful and confidential negotiation with the Agent before all agreements were signed and the first TRESOC share issue was launched in 2010.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Infinergy confirmed that, taking all planning criteria into consideration the best site for wind developmentIt has been a 6 year journey of discovery and steep learning curves for everyone involved.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">From the first desktop studies to find the best site for a wind turbine, contacting the land agent, negotiating legal agreements and preparing the planning application.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">We are rightly proud of the quality of the work that was done by TRESOC working in close partnership with a highly skilled and well-motivated team of wind development professionals.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Sir Jonathan Porritt, in his </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><a href="http://amethystmedia.co.uk/tresoc/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/JPorritt_Councilors_letter_19-12-12.pdf" target="_blank">letter of support</a>,</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">describes the Totnes Community Wind Farm Planning Application as “one of the best designed and well supported applications we have seen”</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Not good enough though for the local planning authority who turned it down on the grounds of the view.</span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">We had steeled ourselves for rejection by the local authority but were not prepared Infinergy’s decision not to appeal.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">The choice to develop a large scale wind energy as the first project amongst our portfolio was a conscious choice. It remains the most cost-effective way of generating renewable energy and we had identified the best suitable site in our locality with the help of the developer. This was an excellent investment opportunity for our members and would be a significant generator locally. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">The substantial public engagement that we provided raised the profile of the development locally. With the benefit of hindsight, this unintentionally hindered the project, as it enabled local opposition to organise and gain strength earlier than in a normal planning application. However we don't believe that this should have been done in a different way. The whole point of community renewable energy is to engage the local population and increase awareness whilst providing social and financial benefits.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20.82666778564453px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Totnes Community wind farm has given us a good degree of experience from which we have learnt from. We want the embryonic community energy industry to gain from our insights, so if you have any questions please get in touch.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Ian Bright</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.459999084472656px;">Managing Director</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Totnes, Devon TQ9, UK50.433741 -3.685796999999979650.39306 -3.7668209999999798 50.474422 -3.6047729999999794tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-17714834063900771782013-10-04T05:10:00.003-07:002013-10-04T06:52:56.480-07:00Advocating for Community Renewables, a key component in community-led economic regeneration<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by Ian Bright, TRESOC MD</span></i></span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s almost 6 years since TRESOC was founded as an Industrial and Provident Society for the profitable generation of renewable energy, by and for the residents of Totnes and the surrounding parishes. We’ve built up a great team of Directors, Admin Manager, Intern and volunteers, with the professional skills to develop a range of renewable energy projects in community ownership. We’ve raised £175,000 of share capital from our 500 members for project development and investment and we’re all aware that we’re working with money entrusted to us by our friends & neighbours in the local community.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the major difficulties we’ve experienced, along with other community energy groups, is dealing with legislation tailored for the existing electricity generation and distribution network, owned and controlled by a small number of large corporations. So alongside keeping our members, supporters and the wider public informed of what we’re doing, it’s also important to engage with Government as they seek views on how to encourage growth in the community renewables economy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As Managing Director of TRESOC I’ve been called to represent TRESOC and the community renewables sector at a number of workshops and events over the past year and I’d like to share some of this with you. If your boredom threshold is not too low, please read on!</span><br />
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The role and context for community renewables</span></h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Communities have an important role to play in increasing the supply of renewable electricity, heat and transport energy to meet 15% of UK energy demand by 2020. It’s a huge increase over current levels of renewable energy supply and requires a very different pattern of energy generation from large centralised fossil fuel and nuclear plant. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Realisation of this level of renewable energy production involves a variety of technologies with large numbers of small scale power generation plant, widely distributed in every city, town, village and parish.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Local community ownership, in whole or in partnership, is a major factor influencing acceptability of all forms of renewable energy. It’s a very different experience to look at a wind turbine if it is putting money in your pocket, rather than simply adding to the profits of a large corporation. All over the country, people of all ages and walks of life are putting in time, expertise and their money to form community energy organisations, taking responsibility for local renewable energy production. The sector has grown from 4.1 MW in 2003 to 58.9 MW capacity in 2013, a growth rate 3 times faster than total UK renewables capacity over the same period. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m glad to report that we are now beginning to see recognition and encouragement for this grass roots activity. The Coalition Agreement has always included a commitment to encourage community owned energy schemes, and Government is now actively seeking consultation with the community renewables sector as the Community Energy Strategy is prepared for publication later this year.</span><br />
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Lobbying activities</span></h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before starting on this account, I would like to first reassure our members that TRESOC funds are not used for lobbying activities. Co-operatives UK has paid TRESOC for my attendance at two of these events. Sometimes my travel expenses are reimbursed by the meeting organisers and sometimes they’re not.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">TRESOC, like most communities, has found that an industrial and provident society (IPS) offers the best legal structure to develop community owned renewables. Co-operatives UK is the trade body for the IPS sector and I’ve been working closely with them in their lobbying efforts.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In November 2012, I was asked to give a presentation on TRESOC and the Totnes Community Wind Farm at the launch of the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Co-operatives UK Report on Community Energy and the Energy Bill.</span> It was a positive event; most encouraging to hear first-hand accounts of community energy projects from the Brixton to the Scottish Highlands. <a href="http://www.uk.coop/sites/storage/public/downloads/the_energy_bill_and_its_impact_on_community_energy_summary.pdf" target="_blank">The report</a> highlighted the work still to be done in shaping legislation in the Energy Bill to ensure ongoing growth in the community energy sector.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m glad to say that a key Co-operatives UK recommendation in the report was recognised in July when the Government tabled an amendment to the Energy Bill to double the size of community renewable energy projects able to access Feed-in Tariffs to 10MW.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This means projects between 5MW and 10MW, which captures most larger community owned schemes, will be able to fund their schemes through the simple method of a fixed Feed-in Tariff, rather than participating in the new ‘contracts for difference’ regime, a complex scheme designed for large commercial developers.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Later in November I was invited to represent the community renewables sector at a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Public Policy Exchange Symposium Countdown to the 2020 Sustainability Target: Unlocking the Power of Renewable Energy in Every Local Area.</span> I gave a 20 minute presentation on TRESOC and then took part in a roundtable discussion with a variety of interests represented; including wind farm developers, consultants, community groups, local authorities and a union representative speaking on behalf of offshore wind farm workers. DECC officials took part and took notes on engaging with communities and investors to raise awareness of the benefits of renewable energy – much more work to be done in this field!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then back to London in April for a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Dept. of Energy and Climate Change Workshop on Access to Market for Independent Generators,</span> looking at the problems faced by independent renewable generators when securing finance and selling their power, and how the implementation of Government’s Electricity Market Reform (EMR) might address some of the issues we face. Discussion focused on the impact that EMR – and the ‘Contract for Difference’ – might have on reducing the risks faced by developers, the size of the risks that remain and the impact of this on the ability to raise finance. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the key issues for the few community energy representatives present was the sheer complexity of the proposed Contract for Difference legislation and the huge gap between the resources of large developers and community groups to tackle it. “Legislation Lite” was mentioned as a route to market for small scale community generators but no firm proposals have been put forward – yet!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More recently, I took part in the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Guardian Roundtable Debate on the Potential of Community Energy to Power the UK. </span> The debate was chaired under Chatham House Rules whereby everybody can say what they like, no-one is wrong and the transcript of the debate reports only what was said, not who said it! The <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/co-operative-community-energy/community-energy-power-to-the-people" target="_blank">transcript</a>, with list of participants, was published in the Guardian on 13th September. It was refreshing to take part in such an open forum and encouraging to see a special adviser to Energy Minister Greg Barker MP at the table, confirming Government interest in supporting growth in the community owned renewable energy economy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On following day I was at an <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Ofgem Workshop on Community Energy,</span> which took the form of presentations from Ofgem and grid operators on what has been done so far, and what is proposed, to allow small scale community energy practitioners access to the grid. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The view from the floor, understandably, was that it would have been good to have had a representative of the community renewables sector speaking from the platform. These events often seem to have more community renewables experts than practitioners, with the latter obviously being too busy struggling to get projects off the starting blocks! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nevertheless, it was a very good and welcome start to what will prove to be a long journey for Ofgem and the industry in developing legislation to allow easy access to the grid for community projects. There was a presentation on “legislation lite” for community renewables but, again, no firm proposals as yet! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The most encouraging meeting so far came when I was privileged to attend the Launch Event of the <a href="http://www.respublica.org.uk/item/The-Community-Renewables-Economy-Starting-up-scaling-up-and-spinning-out-zlbz" target="_blank">ResPublica Report on the “Community Renewables Economy” </a> introduced by Greg Barker MP in the Houses of Parliament on 10th September. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Report recognises TRESOC activities in the Section on Central Barriers to Growth of Community Energy, as follows:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"A recent example in support of the effect of local authority attitudes and levels of awareness concerns the Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC) wind farm. The Totnes Community Wind Farm, a project that Jonathan Porritt of Forum for the Future described as 'one of the most well-designed and well-supported we’ve ever seen,' was denied planning permission early in 2013. The opinion of TRESOC was that 'Local planning authorities don’t yet have the tools to balance parochial concerns against national strategic objectives for deployment of renewable energy.'"</span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This suggests that greater information and training for decision makers – both planners and councillors – would be beneficial.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apart from recognising TRESOC’s efforts, the report gives a good overview of the community renewables sector and points to the potential for growth. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The report says that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">community renewables could grow from current levels of less than 1% of on shore renewables capacity now, to 10% by 2027 </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“if certain barriers are dissolved and the appropriate policy framework put in place.”</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />Partnership working with developers, as enshrined in the Rules of TRESOC, is highlighted as a way forward. The key role of local authorities in bringing all this to fruition is also recognised with a number of welcome recommendations for partnership working with community groups. The report is well worth a read, and its recommendations will help shape the Community Energy Strategy, due later this year.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m detailed for one more train journey to London on 17th October to attend a Community Energy Planning and Regulation Summit with Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change. The summit will look at ways to remove obstacles to community energy and I feel privileged to have been invited to attend. DECC have done a great job over the years in developing a coherent renewable energy strategy to enable the UK to meet its international commitments to source 15% of our energy from renewables by 2020. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And finally, the community renewables sector gets to have its say at the first <a href="http://www.uk.coop/event/community-energy-conference" target="_blank">UK Community Energy Conference</a> I’m looking forward to this one very much. It is a struggle for every community renewables group to tackle the hurdles of legislation, planning, law, finance, and engineering, without the resources of major developers. DEFRA estimates that only one in three community energy projects makes it to completion, so it’s always inspiring to hear first-hand accounts of success against the odds. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And to share experiences, renew old friendships and make new ones in the rapidly growing community renewables sector.</span><br />
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Conclusions and next steps</span></h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The main driver for all of this lobbying activity is the realisation that, if the potential of community renewables is to be fully realised, it’s vital that the sector has a voice in Government circles as the fine tuning of legislation in the Energy Bill takes place. It’s a commonly held view that community renewables are happening despite, rather than because of Government. Nevertheless, Government is listening and we need to make ourselves heard, now and into the future. Co-operatives UK is taking a lead role as the trade body for co-operatives and industrial and provident societies delivering community renewable energy. Their resources are tiny in comparison to the lobbying power of the big six power generators and Government should make allowance for this in their decision making processes if they are serious about continuing growth in the community renewables sector. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The elephant in the room here is the impact of Local Government on the cost, risk and timetable for delivery of community owned renewable energy projects. The Community Renewables Economy Report recognises this and proposes a number of measures for local authorities to engage with the sector, including “pathfinder” local authorities to develop models of co-operation with community groups. This proposal is heartily welcomed by TRESOC and we believe this would be a great example of the Prime Minister’s “Big Society” concept in action. </span> </span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are considerable opportunities for community organisations to facilitate local community investment in renewable energy projects, generating income on Council owned assets. There is much work to be done here but the prize is worth the effort. And it has to be recognised that while DECC is doing a great job in promoting community renewables, the Department for Communities and Local Government needs to do more than pay lip service to the UK renewable energy agenda.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While all this is interesting (to me at least!) and necessary, it is challenging for us to justify spending time on lobbying, with a diverse portfolio of renewable energy projects in development. TRESOC’s success depends on bringing these projects to fruition, which is where the efforts of the TRESOC team are now keenly focussed. We will have more news of projects for you in the very near future.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And finally, on behalf of the whole TRESOC team, I would like to say a big thank you to our members and supporters for all your recent messages of support and encouragement. It makes it worthwhile to keep pushing the ball uphill!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.uk.coop/sites/storage/public/downloads/the_energy_bill_and_its_impact_on_community_energy_summary.pdf" target="_blank">The Energy Bill and its Impact on Community Energy</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/co-operative-community-energy/community-energy-power-to-the-people" target="_blank">Guardian Roundtable Debate on Community Energy</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.respublica.org.uk/item/The-Community-Renewables-Economy-Starting-up-scaling-up-and-spinning-out-zlbz" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ResPublica Report on the “Community Renewables Economy”</span></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16633126576041825138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-67949223655840390122013-09-02T07:24:00.000-07:002013-09-02T11:44:42.310-07:00Buffeted by political winds<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">This article was first published in August 2013, in the
Transition Free Press. Since it
was written, TRESOC's industry partner, Infinergy, has determined that the
commercial risk was too high to proceed with Totnes Community Wind Farm and protesters have joined forces to defeat any proposals in the area (with no distinction made as to whether they are private or community applications). What a tragedy for clean energy in community ownership.</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s increasingly likely that the UK will miss its European
Union energy target, which is to generate 15% of its electricity from renewable
sources by 2020. The European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) ranks the UK a
depressing 25th out of 27 states on progress towards the 2020 green energy
target. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This doesn’t come as a huge surprise to the 500 members of
Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC). Nor did the rejection in February of
our flagship project – two wind turbines in rural Devon. We expected our local Planning
Committee would reject our proposal. We just didn't know what reason they would
give. In the end it was “substantial harm” to the view. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rejection is the fate of most onshore wind farms in
planning, but many are passed on appeal because planning inspectors conclude
that they meet government policy and that local impact is not as great as
councillors fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We did take the bull by the horns with this proposal – 2.3
megawatt (MW) turbines are big. But it was the best site for wind in our area,
we had chosen the most cost-effective technology and in theory the government
has a policy of encouraging renewables. It seemed like a huge
opportunity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unfortunately, in June, the political wind changed
direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In what felt like a
huge blow to the government's vision for renewables and our attempts to power
2,500 households, the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, wrote to councils
giving them extra reasons to reject wind proposals. Lib Dem Energy Secretary,
Ed Davey, stressed that there would be more financial benefits for communities
who accepted wind farms, but the media seemed to revel in the news that
additional obstacles were being created. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Pickles letter doesn’t constitute new legislation, but
it will cause confusion. In particular, it cuts across the National Planning
Policy Framework, which is in favour of sensibly sited wind farms. So which
should take precedence? Giving communities the right to have more of a say is a
good thing, but it must come with the responsibility to contribute to society's
wider, collective needs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the words of the Centre for Sustainable Energy's Chief
Executive, Simon Roberts: “Rights
without responsibility is a recipe for short-term, self-interested decisions
that pass the buck to others; someone or somewhere else will make up for any
poorly informed, parochial decisions. Yet this is what the Government seems to
be doing with on-shore wind power; giving local views the upper hand over
national interests in planning decisions on onshore wind farm proposals.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Where does this leave TRESOC?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buffeted certainly, but we’re not giving up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although we have only kilowatts of
power production from our other schemes to show for huge amount of energy we’ve
used to debate the pros and cons of onshore wind, we are now using knowledge
gained and team resilience to move forward with the right solution for our wind
project, and build our portfolio using a range of technologies including solar
and river/tidal turbines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s not all bad news – lobbying by community energy groups,
including TRESOC, can work. In response to feedback on the type of financial
incentive that works best for us, DECC is planning to increase the Feed-In
Tariff threshold for community projects from 5MW to 10MW to enable larger
installations to benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mostly, however, it's a real struggle to make progress on
community renewables in the current political climate. But if politicians are finding onshore
wind complex, one wonders how they'll do when fracking companies start asking
to blow up the countryside in search of gas. Will fracking make wind seem more
of a blast?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Jane Brady is Communications Director of TRESOC, www.tresoc.co.uk, and a member of Transition Town Totnes. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16633126576041825138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-30947913759803251232013-06-11T08:02:00.000-07:002013-06-15T07:52:32.894-07:00Do we need wind turbines and solar parks? Or should we just use less energy?A frequent reason quoted for refusing or dismissing any new wind turbine applications, is that if we reduced demand for energy, then there would be no need to build any and we could carry on as we are. Is this a rational claim? <br />
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Firstly, there is still a growing need to produce electricity. Our current grid generation is based on fossil fuels, that are finite and becoming increasingly costly to source in the quantities required. So even in a basic economic sense, maintaining our vulnerability to foreign fuel markets that are becoming more and more competitive, is not sensible. What we need is a mix of sources, with a preference for local generation, to improve energy security.<br />
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Secondly, reducing demand is thought to be easier and faster than changing how we generate energy. The new <a href="https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures/how-the-green-deal-works" target="_blank">Green Deal</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48086/1732-extra-help-where-it-is-needed-a-new-energy-compan.pdf" target="_blank">ECO funding</a> policy is designed to transform the energy efficiency industry in the UK. Our <a href="http://www.energybillrevolution.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ACE-and-EBR-fact-file-2013-03-Cold-man-of-Europe.pdf" target="_blank">poor housing state</a>, increasing <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-energy-climate-change/series/fuel-poverty-statistics" target="_blank">fuel poverty</a> and <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/household-bills/10043967/How-energy-bills-have-soared.html" target="_blank">spiralling energy bills</a> make these new mechanisms more and more vital. The reduction in costs for consumers and businesses can be a massive incentive and once a few pioneers in a street make the investment (e.g.<a href="http://www.everwarmgroup.com/insulation/external-wall-insulation" target="_blank"> external wall insulation</a>), others will follow. Delay and media speculation has damaged the industry, but the drivers are growing and it will be only a matter of time until the step change takes hold.<br />
The technologies involved in energy efficiency improvements take days or weeks to install, compared to months, and more likely years, for low carbon energy generation, so it's not a case of one or the other - both need to be tackled. We can't rely on either to deliver the savings required.<br />
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We should attempt to ensure is that the energy generation that does occur locally is directly benefiting the community. The best way to provide that is through local ownership - which is what TRESOC amongst the National Trust, Cooperatives UK, forum for the future, and many others, is campaigning for, in the <a href="http://www.forumforthefuture.org/project/community-energy-coalition/more/manifesto-community-energy" target="_blank">Community energy manifesto</a>. We have been making our voices heard at the heart of <a href="http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=13263" target="_blank">government</a> and the signs and sounds from ministers are encouraging. Hopefully a community energy revolution is appearing as a viable alternative to the current stale condition.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-31047171886825482642013-04-15T07:14:00.001-07:002013-04-15T07:22:09.122-07:00Beyond Megawatts - the social significance of community energyMy generation and all of those following have little or no experience of blackouts. When we flick on a switch we expect the electricity to flow, with a lack of knowledge of where and how it is produced. As we become increasingly dependant on media and gadgets this reliance has hit record levels. If you were to ask a teenager today, to spend a few hours without electricity, the majority would be utterly incapable.<br /><br /> Modern life has distanced us from the production and impacts of what we rely on and in doing so, reduced how much we value it. This is particularly true for food, clothing, and electronics - but I want to focus on electricity. <br /><br /><br />One way to bridge this gap is through local generation. The idea being, if I can see electricity being generated, I am going to value it more. Add in the opportunity for people to not only view electricity being generated, but to directly benefit from it, and you get a sense of why community-scale renewable energy is such a powerful idea. From being dis-empowered uninterested consumers, we become active aware generators of electricity. <br /><br /><br /> My enthusiasm for community energy first took hold when I read <a href="http://server-cati.sociologia.unical.it/Gunder_Frank/WalkerCommunityEnergy.pdf">this</a> and other scientific papers, but was reignited by a <a href="http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/28/community-power-renewing-communities-through-renewable-energy/">blog</a> a read a few months ago. In short, community energy offers: <br /><ol>
<li>A huge opportunity for our local economy to reduce the leakage - money flowing out. Local people benefiting from local resources. </li>
<li>Improves our awareness of where our electricity comes from. This helps us to value it more and conserve. </li>
<li>The ability for communities to take responsibility for some of their energy use by generating rather than consuming and contribute to a stronger more resilient society. </li>
</ol>
<br />The current centralised national grid relies on a few large power stations, that are a large distance away, to keep the lights on. As our antique infrastructure struggles on, many power stations are being turned off - most recently <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-21881129">Didcot coal power station</a> in Oxfordshire. This looming gap of generation has to be filled somehow. Currently the easiest and <a href="http://hmccc.s3.amazonaws.com/Renewables%20Review/RES%20Review%20Technical%20Annex%20FINAL.pdf">cheapest</a> option is onshore wind turbines. We want to retain the benefits locally, so Totnes Renewable Energy Society (<a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/">TRESOC</a>) was formed, with Totnes Community wind farm as its flagship project. There are other generation options available and we are actively investigating them.<br /><br />We want to help build a renewable future at the community scale, which we can be proud of for years to come. There are strong economic and social benefits for us to cherish when we succeed. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-54310300422877652822013-02-24T03:05:00.000-08:002013-02-24T03:05:29.906-08:00Cultivating energy farmers<div dir="ltr">
A 50kW turbine at a height of 30m has eased into the landscape in Rattery. Having sighted the structure from afar I decided to investigate via bicycle, which allowed me to fully appreciate the high elevation of the site. Standing underneath the blades spinning at full capacity there was definitely some sound, but the feeling that me most gripped was of wonder. </div>
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The rejected Luscombe Cross turbines are three times the size, but provide 46 times the generation capacity. Yet this turbine has caused no controversy. If we are at all concerned about the growing generation <a href="http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21501878">gap</a>, then surely the wrong decision was made.</div>
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Anyhow, the opportunity renewable energy offers to farmers is discussed in a recent <a href="http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/renewables/is-2013-the-year-of-the-energy-farmer?/52786.article">article</a> - <b>"Is 2013 the year of the energy farmer?". </b>Rising costs, horrific harvests and unsympathetic banks, made 2012 a year of hardship for many farmers. The need to protect against future energy price rises and a new financial income stream, leaves the opportunity too good to refuse for many. Indeed there is a growing number of solar parks going through planning locally of some serious <a href="http://econnexus.org/resources/large-scale-solar-pv-farms-in-south-west-england/#Hatchlands">size</a> - 13 hectares (5MW) and 15 hectares (8MW) within a few miles of each other near South Brent. A hectare is the area of Trafalgar Square in London or alternatively an International rugby pitch - in other words, big. Undoubtedly these renewable energy installations will have an impact on our countryside, but to deny farmers a rare opportunity in gloomy economic times does seem a little unfair. I maintain my reservations that I stated in a previous post: solar is highly variable (2012 was a bad year for solar); provides little or no energy in winter and at night, when we use most; and is still expensive and carbon intensive compared with other forms. However it will surely form part of a diverse set of renewable energy technologies that we need urgently. Furthermore, the two large solar parks in question, offer no opportunity for local ownership, and therefore a much lower proportion of the financial benefits. This is in direct contrast to the model that Totnes Renewable SOCiety (<a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/">TRESOC</a>) and the <a href="http://www.co-operative.coop/join-the-revolution/our-plan/clean-energy-revolution/community-energy/">Community energy coalition</a> is striving to publicise and celebrate - local people finding resources and sharing the benefits with local investors.</div>
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There is space for all scales of renewable energy to play their part in securing a renewable future locally. Farmers can help cultivate a renewable future for all.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Rattery, Devon, UK50.451304539561235 -3.75777245149947750.446249039561238 -3.7678144514994769 50.456360039561233 -3.7477304514994771tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-68082984921889956422013-02-07T06:47:00.000-08:002013-02-07T06:55:44.453-08:00Legacy or an historic view?<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What will be the legacy we leave for our children, and our children's children? <br />We normally consider our legacy towards the end of our lives, but why not reflect continually throughout our existence? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we look down the trail of lives, will we be proud?</span></div>
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The <a href="http://%20http//thechildrensfiremovement.com/2012/articles/the-childrens-fire/childrens-fire-tim-macartney/">Children's fire</a> is an idea that I came across recently thanks to those at <a href="http://%20http/www.embercombe.co.uk">Embercombe</a>. It states that no law or action can be taken that may harm the children (now and in the future). How would this impact the way you live your life and the decisions you make? What kind of society would <b>not</b> have this idea embedded at the heart of decision-making? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we evaluate the Landscapes officer <a href="http://apps.southhams.gov.uk/planningSearch/default.aspx" target="_blank">report </a>for <a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/#" target="_blank">Totnes community wind farm</a>, particularly the huge value given to maintaining the view from sites of history and heritage, confusion sets in. We assume that conserving these views is a duty that must be upheld for future generations at all cost. Would your children prefer an historic view over a secure source of renewable energy? Will these views help keep their lights on for many years to come? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't have the answers, but what I do believe is that we should make decisions with our children's rights in much higher regard. There is no doubt that the conservation of local history is an important task, but it must be set within the current context and with future needs in mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/#" target="_blank">Totnes community wind farm</a> offers us the opportunity to create a legacy to be proud of - that invests in our future and is part of the remedy for one of the most sinister diseases in modern life - myopia - also known as short-sightedness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Children are one third of the population and all of our future", Panel for the Promotion of Child Health, 1981.</span></blockquote>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Totnes, Devon TQ9, UK50.433741 -3.685796999999979650.433741 -3.6857969999999796 50.433741 -3.6857969999999796tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-41931984055313205362013-01-29T01:49:00.000-08:002013-01-29T01:49:50.963-08:00Dividing communities or taking responsibility?There are two broad definitions of community:<br />
<ul>
<li>a geographically-based community</li>
<li>and a community of interest.</li>
</ul>
The contentious nature of onshore wind turbines means that the they are often blamed for dividing geographic communities. In the case of our development - <a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/planning_application.htm" target="_blank">Totnes Community Wind Farm</a> - the opposition often seek to drive a wedge between Totnes and the parishes Harberton/ Harbertonford - where the turbines will reside.<br />
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If the parishes of Harberton and Harbertonford were independent, the argument would have some justification. However, we are living in an increasingly inter-connected society, and therefore we are reliant on other communities for our high standard of life. In energy terms, we impose the impact of living next to nuclear power stations, pylons, gas turbines, refineries, coal mines onto to other communities to maintain the status quo. Is this a fair imposition? We don't question it, because it is so embedded as acceptable in our society. Our addiction to the existing system, means that we ignore these inequalities - we forget the current and future victims, that may suffer for us. A conservative <a href="http://gabe.web.psi.ch/pdfs/_2012_LEA_Audit/TA02.pdf" target="_blank">estimate</a> puts the number of serious accidents (more than 5 fatalities) in the coal, oil and gas industries as 2592 (1970-2008) within the EU (10 times that in developing countries). All communities are liable for these hidden discrepancies.<br />
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Now I'm am not suggesting that the two turbines proposed will totally transform this inequality, but they are a step in right direction.<br />
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If we take the second definition and broaden our view of community, from small geographic differences to a more general, community of interest, the discussion becomes very different. It is in the interest of every community to secure a vibrant local economy and produce renewable electricity. As I have explained previously (in my first blog post/ letter) the smaller parishes do not have the resources available for such a substantial development, that produces enough electricity for 2500 homes. So as a joint community of interest we respond to the needs locally in any way we can.<br />
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If we widen the geographic boundaries, accept we share common interests, and take into account the current energy system has many less publicised victims, we come to very different conclusions.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-53793972983751526412013-01-07T09:14:00.002-08:002013-01-07T09:17:10.559-08:00Can we ignore wind and just use solar?A frequent response from those opposing onshore wind is that we should use more solar energy as it has a lower impact. While I agree there is a huge potential for solar energy (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaics" target="_blank">PV</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_thermal_energy" target="_blank">thermal</a>), particularly in the South West, it is not a perfect solution. We live fairly far North, which means that in the winter months, when are energy use peaks, the energy from the sun is very low. We also use more energy at night - when there is no generation from solar.<br />
There is also variability from cloud cover that can have an impact, which can be easily seen at the Civic hall and Leatside surgery in Totnes, with the live output (kW) shown on the screens.<br />
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You could argue that solar PV is much more variable than onshore wind, however it is far more predictable and reliable. I found a <a href="http://www.devon.gov.uk/reviewofrenewableenergyresourceassessmentandtargetsfordevon.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> on renewable energy targets for Devon completed by the University of Exeter which states:<br />
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<i>"...one large 3MW wind turbine generates more electricity in a year (at 25% <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacity_factor" target="_blank">load/ capacity factor)</a> than over 3000 domestic (2kW) PV arrays at a tenth of the capital cost" </i></blockquote>
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(NB. as the report is a year old, the price of the PV panels has come down since). </blockquote>
This remains a staggering statistic, that should needs to be taken into account when analysing the different options. It also shows the difference between micro-generation of renewable electricity and that of large scale production. It is far more efficient to do it at a larger scale, but then you have to also take into account the larger impacts. This was also mentioned in my last post - 92 small turbines needed to produce as much as the two large turbines proposed in <a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/#" target="_blank">Totnes Community wind farm</a>.<br />
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If we look at the renewable production of energy in 2011 from the <a href="http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/stats/publications/dukes/5956-dukes-2012-chapter-6-renewable.pdf" target="_blank">2012 DUKES report</a>, there was an interesting change - wind and hydro performing much better than previous years (windier and wetter). There has also been a lot of media attention on the extreme weather observed in 2012 in recent <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20829712" target="_blank">reports</a>. Given these developments it is surely better to use a diverse set of generation technologies, including onshore wind, so we can weather the 'perfect storm' of resource scarcity, extreme climatic events, retiring power stations and increased demand. All communities should be responsible for generating some of their energy and conserving their use. The scale of the challenge and the <a href="http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/media/weowebsite/2012/factsheets.pdf" target="_blank">lack of time</a> means we cannot afford to ignore any low carbon technology.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Totnes, Devon TQ9, UK50.433741 -3.685796999999979650.3932785 -3.7661344999999797 50.474203499999994 -3.6054594999999794tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-63648058844535597402012-12-11T05:12:00.001-08:002013-01-29T01:42:43.493-08:00Windfarms - "pros and antis: it's disconcerting how decent they all seem..."<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Friday TRESOC held a Christmas party in the civic hall in Totnes. Updating our members on our numerous projects, we then continued to the OSTAS - where TRESOC awarded specific members for their commitment by giving them a trophy of huge significance - a cabbage (Savoy, if you're interested). Then wine and cheese to end evening. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was having a discussion with one of the lucky winners - Dan Findlay - about our flagship project -<a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/planning_application.htm" target="_blank">Totnes Community Wind Farm</a> (TCWF). One of the key aspects that seems to surround onshore wind projects, is the divisions it can create in the community - as well as the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9676256/Job-done-on-wind-farms-says-John-Hayes.html" target="_blank">Government</a>. This reminded me of an <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/30/windfarms-bitter-fight-dividing-uk?INTCMP=SRCH" target="_blank">article</a> I had read the previous week on the issue, which struck a chord:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Pros and antis: it is disconcerting how decent they all seem....... Vexingly, the two sides of this debate do not organise neatly along opposite straits: it's not as though the antis are fighting for the landscape, while the pros are fighting for the economy. Everyone's a conservationist; everyone's trying to secure a long-term energy future......"</i></span></blockquote>
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These observations have become more and more obvious</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to me, after the talking to people on both sides during the past year. Both sides agree on the a lot of things other than onshore wind, and often have the same priorities and motivations. It is quite ridiculous - I don't fall out with my friends because they use an Apple Mac computer rather than a PC to blog. The one difference is amplified</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, whereas the similarities are acoustic whispers. This is the case in many issues that trouble society, including the debate surrounding onshore wind. So when there are headlines from the media claiming a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-19880975" target="_blank">'broken community'</a> due to TCWF, I am perplexed. Why should neighbours that have been friendly for decades, fall out over one issue they disagree on? They didn't agree on everything before. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clearly it's a highly emotive issue, that touches the core of what we value, and often, becomes part of our identity. So when disagreements occur they are undeniably personal. People are genuinely worried and concerned about their standard of life. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, there needs to be some sense of proportion. Our sense of community and neighbourliness is of more value than any one issue. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all want a viable future for our fragile environment and society. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we look objectively at the problem of securing our low carbon energy future locally, we simply cannot afford to ignore our </span><a href="http://www2.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/publications/Policy/docs/PB-onshore-wind-energy-UK.pdf" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">cheapest </a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and most widely available resource - onshore wind. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need to acknowledge the many similarities between the opposing sides, and also the difficulties people are experiencing, in order to have better conversations. I think this quote from the same </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/30/windfarms-bitter-fight-dividing-uk?INTCMP=SRCH" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">article</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> sums up some of my sentiments: </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"We are still the Saudi Arabia of wind, but you have to imagine us as an oil-rich country with a very strong objection to the extraction of oil, for reasons that are absolutely self-evident to half our parliament (and our communities) and totally obscure to the other half." </i></span></blockquote>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Totnes, Devon TQ9, UK50.433741 -3.68579750.413512499999996 -3.725279 50.4539695 -3.646315tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4363816541726275473.post-89746996410185942012-12-06T07:32:00.000-08:002012-12-06T07:32:28.242-08:00The scale of Totnes Community Wind Farm<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently posted a response the question raised by some opposing Totnes Community Wind Farm (<a href="http://www.tresoc.co.uk/planning_application.htm">TCWF</a>) on Sarah Wollastons' (MP) <a href="http://www.drsarah.org.uk/issues/wind-turbines">website</a>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"<span style="font-size: 11pt;">I’m
glad the issue of scale has been raised. They are large to produce as much
renewable energy as possible. It would take 92 turbines of the size proposed at <a href="http://www.southhams.gov.uk/spec_planning_apps_detail-m3.htm?SHORTID=1142/12/F">Foales Leigh</a> (50kW – 46m to tip) to produce </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">as much as the
two turbines in our proposal (at max. capacity – not taking into account a
lower capacity factor).</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Surely the cumulative impact (noise, energy,
landscape) of that number is much larger?<br /> </i></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This also serves to show the huge loss of
generation when reducing the size of the turbine – half the height but only
2.2% of the capacity (compared with one 2.3MW turbine). </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">They are connected to the national grid because of
the large amount of electricity produced – so it can go where the demand is. At
present there is no other alternative local grid available.</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The scale of the community chosen - Totnes and
its environs - was so that the necessary investment, skills and resources could
be sourced. At a village scale it simply wouldn’t be possible to carry out a
development of this size - £6million, 4.6MW – enough for 2500 homes." </i></span></span></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VWvlliwteAU/UMC6IvZWpHI/AAAAAAAAAA0/jP6XWzzhNtU/s1600/Wind+turbines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VWvlliwteAU/UMC6IvZWpHI/AAAAAAAAAA0/jP6XWzzhNtU/s400/Wind+turbines.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photomontage of the proposed site</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">I hope this contains some insight for those involved in the conversation. I certainly learned something during the process.</span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06038464559441597704noreply@blogger.com0Totnes, Devon TQ9, UK50.433741 -3.68579750.413512499999996 -3.725279 50.4539695 -3.646315