How can we work better together? Panel discussion: How can we work better together?

Growing Resilient and Energy Efficient Neighbourhoods (GREEN) Taylor Roark 4 February 2012

Organiclea Food-growing workers’ co-op in East London Access to Hawkwood Plant Nursery in Chingford Long-term lease with Council Opportunity for renewable energy Practice what you preach

Solar PV Opportunity UK Solar PV Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Recent proposed changes announced New build <4kW: 37.8p/kWh; 16.8p/kWh Retrofit <4kW: 43.3p/kWh; 21p/kWh 4-10kW: 37.8p/kWh; 16.8p/kWh 10-50kW: 32.9p/kWh; 15.2p/kWh

Hawkwood Plant Nursery 12-acre site Warehouse roof (~40x20m) South-facing roof 9.9kW installed capacity Estimated 8300kWh/yr Install cost £27,000

Industrial and Provident Societies (IPS) Co-operatives and community benefit societies (one person, one vote) Withdrawable share capital Exempt from FSA Registration Statement Share Offer to community Raise money and invest in project

Next Steps Install and generate Manage IPS Further investments Publicity and promotion Other projects (Brixton Energy, Repower South London)

Learning points Be aware of what's going on in your community, and who does what and what their interests are. Acknowledge and respect that "belief sets" and motives are complex and diverse; but recognise and focus on the commonalities and be aware that shared aims appear in the most unlikely of places. But consistency of approach is needed at the practical level. For maximum impact, you're in it for the long haul!

Wey Valley Solar Schools Energy Co-operative

We are a community based co- operative, set up by local people to install and run electricity generating solar panels on the roofs of schools in the Waverley and Guildford area. We raised £620,000 from 120 members of the local community, to fund the installation of 50kW arrays on five secondary schools in the local area. What is the Wey Valley Solar Schools Co-operative?

How did it start? –Rodborough School, Milford is an eco school committed to sustainability –Made several unsuccessful attempts to apply for grants to allow a solar panel project to proceed. –In 2010 the introduction of the Feed-in tariff opened a new source of funds through community self help. –Friends of the Earth introduced the co-operative structure linked to the Feed-in tariff to raise funds required. –Broadwater and other schools were introduced to the project to create a co-operative of sufficient scale for it to be cost effective. What is Wey Valley Solar Schools Energy co-operative?

–Board of directors Mike Smyth, Rod Edge, Jane Thomson, Andrew Smith, Peter Craig –Project co-ordinator Rachael Hunter –Schools Rodborough School, Milford; Broadwater School, Farncombe; Godalming College; County School, Guildford; Woolmer Hill School, Haslemere; –Contractor Joju- one of the longest-standing MCS accredited solar PV installers in the country Who is involved?

Fundraising- Run for the Sun

Installation at Rodborough School. Phase 1 completed on the 8 th September and has generated 3308kWh to date

A co-operative (often referred to as a co-op) is an ethical, democratic, business organisation owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit. It does not seek to maximise returns to investors; instead it seeks to pay a fair return, which is sufficient to obtain and retain the capital required, and also to achieve broader community, environmental and social goals. What are the benefits of a co- operative?

Investors –Anticipated returns of 5% increasing to about 6% after the third year (then increasing, initially by approximately by 0.3%, each year after that) –Income tax payers receive tax relief of 30% of the amount they invest under the Enterprise Investment Scheme which increases the effective rate of interest on the net cost of the investment. –Capital invested returned at 4% per year to investors in aggregate – priority given to those who want their money back What are the benefits the co- operative?

–Schools Educational- will be getting monitors and data loggers to monitor the energy they are producing, energy consumption etc. Environmental- Reducing CO 2 emissions by about 20 tonnes per school. Financial: Free electricity & reduction in electricity bills, and half of the interest on the capital when it rises above 6%; all schools have invested and receive the same benefits as other investors. What are the benefits of the co-operative?

The launch- The Pepperpot 16 th September 2011

Wey Valley Solar Schools Energy Co-operative