Practical help for Local Authorities Amber Moss & Debbie Marock

Overview Overview of Practical help LAs using and promoting renewables Main EST programmes Questions/Discussion/Your experiences

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Ph: Other Services We’ll answer any enquiry regarding sustainable energy and environmentally-friendly transport Fortnightly update (currently 1800 recipients) Newsletter issued quarterly Briefing notes and case studies Toolkits

Energy from a resource that is virtually inexhaustible, which in the UK can include energy from: –The sun in the form of fuel crops, wind power, hydro power, wave power and solar radiation; –The moon in the form of tidal power; –The earth in the form of geothermal energy. Energy from certain wastes (?) What is renewable energy?

Political context for renewable energy Target: 12.5% reduction in greenhouse gasses between 1990 and 2008/12 Target: 10% renewably-generated electricity by 2010 Renewable obligation on electricity suppliers main mechanism for higher renewables target Climate Change Levy on non-domestic fuel bills from 2001 Planning Policy Guidance 22

What can authorities do? Purchase green power Use renewables in own buildings and housing Promote renewables to general public Produce supplementary planning guidance

Purchasing renewable electricity Councils purchasing green electricity include: Lewisham (100%), Stirling, Sandwell, Redbridge, Rotherham, Leicester, Stroud, Ceredigion, Plymouth and Hull Information on biggest buyers available from Benefits in reducing CCL (generally put 10% on bill)

LA use of renewables Craigavon BC – wind for efficient watersports centre Energy policy Winning bid for watersports centre design & build based on cost and energy measures Two 6kW wind turbines Disused waterwheel connected up Funding for renewables provided by NI department for economic development & the sports council

LA use of renewables Small off-grid PV applications in Wales Ceredigion County Council installed prototype PV school traffic warning signals 12 installed & 22 planned Maintenance, installation costs and Running costs improved Prototype PV powered bus stop light 14 installed, 25 more planned

LA Solar Water Heating Kirklees and Calderdale, Simply Solar Funding from EST’s Innovation Programme Aim: 200 installations per year One of the suppliers also involved in training plumbers to install the systems Householders gain from bulk discount prices, plus a grant Householders must install loft and cavity wall insulation in order to qualify for the grant After 3 weeks: 38 jobs were confirmed (13 DIY)

Solar Grants Solar Grants programme provides capital grants for photovoltaic systems Up to 65% 'fixed' grant funding available to large-scale applications (5kWp to 100 kWp) for public housing and local authority buildings Awards made quarterly on a competitive basis

Community Energy CE supports upgrade of existing and installation of new heat networks Capital grants to cover the cost of system installation Development grants to cover the cost of investigating the viability of proposed schemes Schemes must demonstrate carbon reduction Jointly managed by EST and Carbon Trust - £20 million in 2002/3, £30 million in 2003/4

For other information on renewable energy Renewable energy enquiries bureau Renewable Energy advice Service, via selected EEACs Community renewables initiative (and Scottish CRI) Clear Skies (funding) Practical help – –