Community Energy is often viewed as small, niche and unreliable. Furthermore, changes in the policy landscape such as the upcoming removal of subsidies for renewable energy (Feed-in-Tariff) and reduced budgets and resources for Local Authorities may stunt the growth of the community energy sector as previous financial models are no longer viable. Community energy needs to engage and benefit a wider audience- particularly the fuel poor. Community energy also needs to move beyond renewable energy generation to more holistic forms of sustainability.
Through this project, the organisation will:
1. Develop the UK’s first community owned Anaerobic Digestion (AD) project in an urban area, which will convert local food waste to energy and organic fertilizer.
2. Pilot a new electricity supply model which will enable residents of flats with solar panels installed to directly use the electricity produced and benefit financially- in the same way as residents of houses already can.
3. Increase the resilience of the community energy sector after the end of the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) through the demonstration of financially viable business models around local electricity supply and alternative technologies to solar PV for renewable energy in urban environments.
Who might be interested in this project?
Community energy groups, local authorities and housing associations, sustainability NGOS, policy makers, and urban farming groups.