Energyshare – sourcing, using and generating renewable energy
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Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network wins top green energy award
The other week we shared a post about solar energy. Just like waste, energy affects everyone’s lives. We all use it and pay for it every day and with recent price increases, the way we think about energy here in the UK is changing fast.
Up and down the country there are already hundreds of people getting together and setting up renewable energy projects. They’re proving that there really is an alternative way to do things. For example in our nearest city, a community centre has installed 200 solar panels of which individuals and community groups can buy shares.
This week we heard about energyshare – an initiative between River Cottage and British Gas who are giving people the opportunity to source, use and even generate their own 100% British renewable energy.
Energyshare thinks that in order to make a really big difference, we all need to work together. We’ve learned from our other projects like River Cottage, Hugh’s Fish Fight, Chicken Out and Landshare that when you bring together people, communities, organisations and the media, something really BIG can happen.
Putting its money where its mouth is, Energyshare is funding up to £500K for community projects. British Gas are distributing a further £3m to community renewable energy projects through the energyshare fund over the next 3 years.
What’s this got to do with our website? MyZeroWaste.com was founded after we were involved in the Boscastle floods in 2004. We believe that raising public awareness and promoting sustainable energy sources is an essential part in helping to reduce the human effect on climate change and freak weather patterns. The “Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network” (WREN) is close to Boscastle and are a finalist in the energyshare campaign. We are delighted to be championing their project to reduce energy, carbon emissions and provide the community with a more sustainable way of life.
WREN’s targets and aspirations are to provide 30% of Wadbridge’s electricity needs from local renewable energy by 2015.
To achieve this WREN will be implementing a number of schemes including
– Providing solar panel installations for business and domestic users up to 1Mw
– Building a solar allotment
– Building 2 wind turbines to providing 2-3Mw
– Facilitating renewable electric transport
– Tidal stream generation
– Biomass heat and power
In addition WREN hope to generate over £300,000 per year for the next 20 years for the Wadebridge community trust fund to support further initiatives. They also believe that this project will help to provide quality employment locally, along with a good green reputation that will encourage further investment from other sectors.
We’ll be talking to WREN later in the week and be telling you how you can vote to help them secure the funding for their project. Meanwhile head over to energyshare and take a look at the WREN community page for more details.
Are there any renewable energy communities near you?
Click on the image to read more about Wadebridge energy share
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Harriet and the Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network Help Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network secure £100k funding with your vote!
Discussions This page lists the last 30 posts that have been commented and shows the last commenter.…
This sounds like a brilliant initiative. What a vision for the future! It gives me hope to read about schemes like this – thanks for telling us and I look forward to hearing more about them. I know there is something in Findhorn; one of my friends used to live there, but don’t know much about it.
I read about a scheme in Devon; a wind farm. People can buy from as little as £250 and everyone gets income from the energy produced, but also it benefits the community. I think it’s great and read recently that Friends of the Earth have a petition about the big six energy providers. Here is the petition if you’re interested http://www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/final_demand2_32882.html?redir=finaldemand
I’ve been to Wadebridge on holiday and remember driving past a load of wind turbines. I thought they looked lovely and really don’t know why people make such a fuss about them. I hope wadebridge can get the money to support their work!
this list of current community projects is so encouraging..why not pay for clean energy which is cheaper to capt and produce, does not destroy earth’s atmosphere and is guaranteed for life–our life and future.
for people who cannot wait for cluttered governments to enact renewable energy usage–
for those who will not expect politicians to find funds for them to act upon appropriate technology.
for anyone who believes it is time to re-act appropriately…buyer beware, for the water and the air.
solar-wind-wave or geothermal, so many local options on a manageable scale; our grid carries wind energy from a recent addition of 5 towers 20 miles away..i was amazed at the wisdom of the council..
hello, just read yet another good UK news post…from France this one. green living is gathering momentum in the private sector.
http://www.edouardstenger.com/2011/11/16/united-kingdom-is-committed-to-offshore-wind/
@Shel: Thanks Shel, it sounds fantastic and we’re delighted to be supporting them 🙂
@Amie: thanks for the petition and the place in Devon sounds wonderful – I’ll check it out
@Jazz: I do too! The windmills are great aren’t they – so graceful I think!
@nadine sellers: thanks for sharing the link, Nadine; such an uplifting story 🙂 (I’ve taken the liberty of shortening the link 😉 )