Community Energy Study Tour – Brussels

Tresoc Managing Director, Ian Bright joined Regen SW and colleagues from South West England, London, Manchester & Wales in Brussels, December 2016. Part of a community energy study tour, they met with Molly Scott Cato, MP at the European Parliament.

Community energy is becoming a major player in the development of renewable energy infrastructure, delivering clean green energy and sustainable local economies across Europe and beyond. Cheaper than new gas or nuclear now too!

The President of the REScoop-eu, Dirk Vansintjan, gave this presentation on ‘Moving Towards Energy Democracy.’

 

Hooray, we are Best Community Initiative, 2015!

Tresoc is the winner of the RegenSW’s 2015 South West Green Energy Award for the Best Community Initiative.  “As judges, we are impressed by the dedication and achievements of community led energy initiatives, an area showing substantial growth and momentum across the country and particularly here in the South West. This is an ambitious movement that is increasingly showing it can deliver.  The year’s winner has an excellent balance of community engagement with local residents and has developed an innovative partnership model with a housing association and local installer.

It has successfully installed solar PV on social housing, to provide power to local households and reduce their electricity bills significantly.  Please can I invite onto the stage the winner of the 2015 South West Green Energy Award for the Best Community Initiative: TRESOC” – Emma Bridge, Community Energy England, lead judge

“Winning the “Best Community Initiative” in the South West is a great compliment that you and the entire TRESOC team richly deserve for your passionate desire to develop green energy opportunities in and around Totnes.” – Ian Alexander, Charity Bank

Is community energy an inconvenience?

Regen’s excellent SW Community Energy Day of Action on 16th October triggered 30 meetings between community energy groups and businesses in the South West and their MPs.  A full list is available here. Community Energy England’s new report contains some excellent facts and figures, also.  For instance, of the £58 million in investment lined up over the next 2 years, £45 million is at risk from FIT review changes and of the £180 million intended for investment in renewable energy in the medium term, 90% now unlikely to go ahead.  This has been picked up in the Guardian and regional press.  Tresoc MD, Ian Bright was quoted in Tuesday’s Western Morning News: “… it rather feels as if the Government is actively promoting nuclear and fracking and considers us an inconvenience”.

The FIT review consultation period closes on 23 October and we’ll see if anyone’s listening. We can only hope that local government thinks for itself.