002. Summer 08 Web

newsletter Issue 2 Autumn 2008

Grants available for Community Buildings MEA are now accredited consultants for the BIG Lottery’s Community Sustainable Energy Programme (CSEP). This scheme enables not-for-profit community-based organisations to obtain up to 75% (or £5,000) of the cost of feasibility studies and up to 50% (or £50,000) of the capital cost of installing renewable and microgeneration technologies. We have also negotiated some great deals in reducing the required match funding. Our expertise in identifying the potential for utilising renewable energy and assisting with the implementation of installations means we are well placed to advise groups how to tap into this funding. For new

builds we can estimate energy consumption through using SBEM; providing a Part L compliance certificate at the same time!

in this issue Free home energy surveys pg. 2

Shropshire businesses going green pg.3 Light Fantastic launch event pg 4 MEA birthday pg.5 Action Heat driving down costs pg.6 Low Carbon Leadership Workbook, pg. 7

So whether it’s a wind turbine at a local school or a ground source heat pump powered by solar panels in a new village hall we can help!

MEA’s new Policy & European Funding Manager MEA has appointed a Policy & European Funding Manager to help steer the organisation’s, regional policy and actors, on delivering European and West Midlands’ priorities on climate change and sustainable energy. The promotion and sharing of best practice in these fields will strengthen the influence of the West Midlands region in policy review and development, and encourage future project and partnership development.

As a Project Manager for the Agency since joining in 2004, Katherine Shepherd has a good understanding of projects, issues and challenges related to the climate change agenda. The role is founded on the belief that the sharing of knowledge, experience and best practice, and cross-sector cooperation, both within and between regions, is essential for more rapid progress in delivering a low carbon future and for guiding policy makers at all levels. 1.

National Award MEA’s Eco Vehicles Top Trumps game has won second place for an award in the category of ‘Green Campaign of the Year’ at this year’s Green Fleet awards. Not bad for an organisation of less than 20 employees, especially considering that we were up against transport giants BMW, Citroen and the NICE Car Company.

MEA ACTION

Walking the Talk - our transport use Here at MEA we like to walk the talk - literally - we try to use sustainable transport wherever possible. To encourage us to do this (and to shout about what we do) we record all our business travel sources - and we’re rather proud of the result. The graph to the right shows how we’ve been doing in terms of mileage per vehicle type for the first quarter of this year. Our three company vehicles are led by the Honda Insight Electric Hybrid (Registration BC02 LOW!). This is a category A vehicle delivering some 83 mpg rated at 80g CO2 per km. The VW Caddy has been converted to run on Pure Plant Oil. This is 100% pure rape seed oil purchased in reusable drums. This doesn’t show the number of miles we all travel by bike during the course of our work and we also try to do as many meetings by phone as possible to avoid travel altogether

MEA is offering free home energy surveys MEA’s Low Carbon Communities team is now offering free and impartial home energy surveys for residents living in Ellesmere, Cleobury Mortimer and the Floodplains community. The survey will cover changes that can be made for free, insulation levels, lighting, heating controls, boiler efficiency and renewable technologies. The resulting action plan, if implemented, will help householders save money. MEA’s Simon Ross, who is running the project, said: “The service provides a great opportunity for people to start to understand energy efficiency in their homes and to make meaningful savings. This is doubly important at a time when climate change is on the agenda and energy prices are soaring”.

MEA helps village pub save over £1000 As a result of a survey carried out at the Dog Inn in Whittington, Staffordshire, in December 2007, MEA is delighted to report that the Dog has taken up many of its recommendations and will be saving over £1,000 a year in heating and lighting costs.

This was just one of 120 such surveys carried out by Simon Ross of MEA’s Low Carbon Communities team using, for the most part, his folding bike to get around. Each home surveyed received a bespoke report, energy rating and Action Plan based 2.

upon an Energy Performance Certificate. ‘There is enough in each report to help each householder make serious and meaningful changes to their lifestyle to reduce both their carbon emissions and their running costs’, he said. The project was reported on BBC Midlands Today.

More Shropshire businesses going the extra (green) mile For the past year Marches Energy Agency has been assisting businesses in Shropshire to access grants and assistance to reduce their fuel bills and generate their own power and heat. Now, seven more businesses in Shropshire are set to make financial savings and lower their carbon footprints following successful bids to a local grant funding scheme. The diverse range of projects with a total value of nearly £70,000 will be 50% funded under Shropshire County Council’s ‘Low Carbon Communities for Business’ programme. Amongst the successful applications:

• An ‘RSPCA Freedom Foods’

accredited egg laying unit in Cleobury Mortimer will be providing its constant power requirements using a building-

mounted wind turbine. Its proprietor (and possibly the chickens) will be showering in water heated by the sun thanks to a solar hot water system. • In Melverley the recently refurbished Tontine Inn will be providing its hot water requirements through a solar hot water system. • In a Thai restaurant in Ellesmere

a saving of nearly 3 tonnes of CO2 per annum and £600 worth of electricity is to be made by simply switching from electric to gas for space and hot water heating. The funding, which is available until April 2009, comes from AWM, the Regional Development Agency’s key rural delivery mechanism, the ‘Rural Regeneration Zone’ (RRZ).

Seven cycling churchmen’s climate change commitment Seven Bishops from four continents have pledged to cycle or walk 450 miles each this year rather than driving. This public commitment for action on climate change was made on Saturday, 12th July at Leominster Priory, Herefordshire.

3.

In an idea originally conceived by the Marches Energy Agency and put to the Bishops by Dr Isabel Carter of Amber Links, the Bishops have agreed to substitute two or three short car journeys each week for a bicycle or to walk instead. They hope that between them they can cycle over 3,000 miles and save a tonne of carbon dioxide in the process. Bishops from New Zealand, Tanzania, Canada, United States and the UK were amongst those taking the pledge at the question and answer session in Leominster.

MEA EVENTS Light Fantastic launch at Shrewsbury Castle Invited guests and members of the public watched the launch of MEA’s latest project - “Light Fantastic” - in Shrewsbury Castle grounds on Thursday the 18th of September. Light Fantastic is an interactive experience, which aims to convert people from using standard light bulbs to energy efficient ones. The energy efficiency message is effectively conveyed by using practical demonstrations, fun games for adults and children, and the distribution of free low energy bulbs. With its experienced and friendly staff, Light Fantastic provides the visitor with all the advice and information they need to become more energy efficient at home and in the work place. Entertainment for the event was provided by Chris Ryder offering on the spot caricatures, with the Town Crier also present. Visitors were challenged to power standard inefficient bulbs with the ‘Energy Bike’. To cool down afterwards the energy bike could also be used to power a desk fan!

Salop Leisure supports MEA roadshow Shrewsbury based caravan and leisure company Salop Leisure have generously supplied the Light Fantastic project with essential items to get the exhibition on the road. Managing Director Mark Bebb said: “I am delighted to support this local project, we have a commitment to be energy efficient at Salop Leisure and it’s good to help others to do the same.” Project Manager Sarah Meredith said: “We’ve given away over 12,000 low energy bulbs so far. Over their lifetime that will save 1,756 tonnes of CO2 and nearly £750,000 off people’s electricity 4.

bills and replacement lights. That’s just a month of events, so we are really making an impact with the project.” Energy Company E.ON are also supporting the project, donating low energy bulbs from leading manufacturer Megaman and Powerdown units to help householders reduce their energy consumption. A grant from Awards for All has allowed completion of the exhibition and the Shropshire Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund has paid for a number of events this summer at local shows and venues.

Launch meeting for innovative European project MEA played host to delegates from throughout Europe this summer, having secured funding to coordinate an innovative European project. The project - SECHURBA (Sustainable Energy Communities in Historic Urban Areas) - focuses on energy efficiency and renewable technologies in historic areas and buildings. Involving 13 partners from 7 countries (Greece, Denmark, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Ireland and UK) the project aims to demonstrate how our heritage can be used as a cultural, social, economic and environmental opportunity for using sustainable technologies, rather than as a barrier to a low carbon future. The inaugural meeting got the project off to a successful start when representatives (architects, scientists and consultants) from all

13 partner organisations (energy agencies and charities) attended for two days here in Shrewsbury in September. Delegates learnt about each other’s organisations and were shown presentations on the areas to be studied. These ranged from a historic castle in the Province of Piacenza, Italy, to small communities along the black sea coast of Bulgaria, and parts of Szentendre near Budapest in Hungary. They were also shown presentations on the iconic buildings of the National Theatre of Rhodes and the City Hall in Copenhagen. Partners were then given a tour around historic Shrewsbury town centre (lead by SABC Conservation Officers), and visited St Alkmund’s Church to see the PV panels installed on a Grade 1

listed building, plus timber framed buildings in Shrewsbury and some local residences which had agreed to be studied for the project. A SECHURBA project website will be launched soon to track progress of the project. The majority of funding for the project is coming from the Intelligent Energy Europe programme, the EU’s tool for funding action to encourage more efficient use of energy throughout the European Community.

MEA birthday!! MEA marked its 10th birthday on Thursday 18 September in a number of ways: • Light Fantastic, a project that inspires communities to embrace sustainable energy technologies including low energy lighting, was launched in the Castle Grounds in Shrewsbury • MEA ‘Open House’ at our offices at The Pump House • Carbon Detox show at the Gateway Arts & Education Centre • Food and drinks in the evening at The Pump House

Chorley Show On Sunday 17th August, MEA’s Carbon Forum team took the Light Fantastic exhibition trailer to the Chorley Show near Bridgnorth. The Chorley Show is a unique summer show in that it has for many years endeavoured to promote local produce, arts and crafts and more recently really take responsibility for its environmental impact. Last year we carbon foot-printed the whole show, highlighting ways in which their footprint could be further reduced. They have taken many of our recommendations on board, with displays and stall holders relying less on generators, the 70s classic (gas guzzling) car show removed and an increased public transport provision for visitors to the show. Despite the weekend of rain and an angry looking sky, the show was very well attended with over 2000 visitors. Our visit to the show was funded by Defra’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund co-ordinated by Shropshire County Council. We had over 1000 visitors, who took with them 1300 low energy light bulbs and 160 Powerdown units. This will result in CO2 savings of 187 tonnes and 5.

MEA GRANTS

ActionHeat: driving down heating costs The ActionHeat team, responsible for the successful Keep Shropshire Warm initiative, has continued to provide affordable warmth help to both Shropshire and Herefordshire over the summer months. In what is normally a quiet period for the fight against fuel poverty, ActionHeat has upped the stakes and provided insulation measures, at a free or discounted rate, to 540 households since the middle of June. The team has also provided advice about low and no cost, DIY, affordable warmth measures and information about better energy tariffs to a further 230 households. The hard work that the ActionHeat team has put in over the summer to ensure households are more comfortable this winter has seen the following benefits: • £103,500 retained economic benefit • 908.4t/CO2/annum saving • 135 households potentially removed from fuel poverty.

£1.5 million grants available to SMEs Re:think Energy is a newly launched £1.5 million renewable energy capital grant scheme aimed at Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), situated in, or who are benefitting the Rural Regeneration Zone (RRZ) areas of Shropshire, Herefordshire and parts of Worcestershire. The scheme will enable SMEs to capitalise on opportunities

to install renewable energy technologies as well as provide openings for business within the RRZ through the manufacture, supply and installation of renewable technologies and services. Kate Millbank the RE:think Energy Manager has recently started in post and is excited about taking the project forward. “The opportunity for businesses within the RRZ to

actively take control of their energy needs, reduce fuel bills and carbon emissions is fantastic and is becoming increasingly more necessary with escalating fuel costs, energy insecurity and growing concerns about global climate change. RE:think Energy provides businesses within the RRZ a ‘not to be missed’ opportunity to become more energy independent as well as partake in the growing low carbon economy, firmly establishing themselves and the West Midlands in the UK’s low carbon future”. Funded via Advantage West Midlands and managed by Marches Energy Agency, RE: think Energy can offer grants of up to 50% of the capital cost investment of installing renewable energy technologies.

6.

MEA PRODUCTS

Reproduced by kind permission of the artist John G. Roberts mad-badger.com

Cartoon exhibition available for hire! Our Climate Change Cartoon Exhibition is made up of 27 cartoons donated to us by UK and US based artists. They range from the absurd and whimsical to the stark and thought provoking. In the face of the climate change challenge, a sense of humour is vital. The exhibition has been toured around Shropshire and is now available for hire or as a full set of prints for your organisation as part of its climate change communications strategy. Contact [email protected] for more details, or give us a ring (contact details at end of newsletter)

Low Carbon Leadership Workbook

MEA’s Carbon Forum team produced a Low Carbon Leadership workbook in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust and seeks to help all that use it to move from low carbon aspiration to planning practical action. With a spare hour here and there (and internet access), the book enables an elected member, officer, LSP partner or interested community member to understand and create a low carbon route map for their community. The book will shortly be available for download and Carbon Forum will be offering support sessions for Local Authorities and their partners. Watch this space!

Bioenergy Guide goes digital Our Carbon Forum team has produced a Bioenergy guide for the Bioenergy West Midlands steering group with funding from Advantage West Midlands. The guide is an excellent introduction to bioenergy, focusing on biomass and biogas (anaerobic digestion) energy production. It provides

addresses for further information.

an accessible but detailed introduction to the technologies, outlines some of the key considerations for developing a bioenergy facility, and provides contact details and internet

Bioenergy has tremendous potential as a part of a renewable energy strategy for the UK, and we hope that this guide will play a part in achieving that potential by raising awareness of these technologies and what they have to offer. The guide is available to download from the Carbon Forum website (see below).

Marches Energy Agency is a registered charity, #1070942

Main website:

www.mea.org.uk

MEA team websites:

www.carbonforum.org www.projectcarbon.org www.lowcarboncommunity.org www.keepshropshirewarm.org switchboard: 01743 246 007 email: [email protected] The Pump House, Coton Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2DP 7.