The Climate Active Neighbourhood (CAN) project in the Ore Valley in Hastings has kept the Energise Sussex Coast team busy since 2016. We have been running energy cafés, Big Energy Saving weeks and energy health clinics.
We have also been exploring the idea of turning Ore into a solar valley with community solar tariffs, energy buying clubs and innovative ways to help residents make their homes more energy efficient through pay as you save retrofit loans. With the energy market changing as fast as it is there are smart new technologies that can make a smart grid work for the benefit of communities and not just the energy suppliers.
One of the game changers in this market is the Energy Local innovation. This is where a school, community building or church installs solar panels and becomes an “energy hub” for local residents who can then share the solar electricity generated at affordable prices. For this scheme to work residents need to form into an Energy Local buying club, switch to the same supplier and have smart meters fitted.
Before any of that happens there needs to be enough local solar energy to make it worthwhile so that is what we are focusing on. The scheme would work perfectly with sheltered housing blocks and with social housing as it has the advantage that all residents can benefit from lower prices even when their roof does not have any solar panels. We met CAN partners in Essen and May and produced a set of interim reports about what we are doing and how the scheme is progressing in Hastings .
ESC_Community Engagement report
ESC Report _ Community Energy Retrofit models