Sustainable Energy Basics

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• Sustainable Energy Basics
• Produced by
• Community Action for Energy (CAfE)
• 2005

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What is sustainable energy?
Sustainable Energy
Using low carbon technologies to produce energy

• Using
• energy more
• efficiently

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Why sustainable energy is important

• Environmental reasons
• helps to prevent climate change
• Financial reasons
• saves money, affordable warmth
• Social reasons
• provides warmer, healthier homes and people

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Environmental reasons

• Burning fossil fuels releases CO2 which is the
  main cause of climate change
• Climate change will increase the likelihood of
  sever weather events, flooding and extremes of
  temperature
• Domestic households are responsible for 25 of
  all CO2 emissions, this could be reduced to 18
  through energy efficiency
• Fossil fuels are finite

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Financial reasons

• The average UK household spends 620 on fuel and
  power every year and could save 250 through
  better efficiency
• Households spending more than 10 of their income
  on fuel are in fuel poverty
• 1.2 million UK households are in fuel poverty
• Low income pensioners and single parents are at
  higher risk from fuel poverty
• 2 million gas customers are in debt (OFGEM)

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Social reasons

• A warmer home is a healthier one
• 30,000 people die of cold-related illnesses every
  year
• A third of all housing falls below the decent
  home standard, rising to 40 in homes of ethnic
  minority groups
• Non decent housing leads to cold and damp-related
  illnesses such as hypothermia and respiratory
  problems

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How can sustainable energy benefit you and your
community?

• A project that focuses on sustainable energy can
  help to tackle many of the problems that confront
  individuals and communities. It can
• Save money and reduce debts
• Reduce waste and improve the environment
• Improve housing conditions
• Create jobs and training opportunities
• Improve health
• Contribute to community regeneration

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Regeneration and Sustainable Energy

• Sustainable energy can contribute to community
  regeneration
• Socially, economically, environmentally
• Improved physical psychological health
• Potentially through job creation
• Leads to improved stability and development of a
  community as public perception of the area
  improves both within and outside the area.
• Improvements in housing and installation of
  energy efficiency measures can reduce fuel bills
  and increase householders disposable income.

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Beacon Community Regeneration Project

• Community wide regeneration project in Falmouth,
  Cornwall
• Funded by Single Regeneration Budget and Carrick
  District Council
• Aim to benefit all the residents of the Beacon
  Estate by
• Implementing energy efficiency improvements in
  all 1008 of the estates houses.
• Alleviating fuel poverty and social exclusion.
• Improve the comfort and health of residents.
• To raise community spirit by improving the
  appearance of the neighbourhood.

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Beacon Community Regeneration Project

• Achievements
• Energy efficiency improvements made to 900 homes
• 186,000 saved on fuel bills in the first year
• 50 drop in the numbers suffering from asthma
• Increase employment and reduction in crime
• Remarkable upswing in community spirit

Information taken from CAfE Case Study 9 -
downloadable from the CAfE website or in hard copy
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How can it be achieved?

• Using energy more efficiently
• Behavioural changes
• Measures (e.g. loft and cavity wall insulation)
• Appliances
• Reducing lighting costs
• Reducing water usage
• Low carbon technologies
• Using technologies which produce less or no
  carbon dioxide when generating energy

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Behavioural Changes No cost

• Turning room thermostat down by 1oC can save up
  to 10 on heating bills
• Close curtains at dusk tuck them behind your
  radiators.
• Only boil as much water as you need.
• Shower instead of bathing.
• Switch appliances off instead of leaving them on
  standby.
• Set hot water cylinder thermostat to 60oC

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Behavioural Changes Low cost

• Fit a hot water tank jacket- only costs around
  10
• Use energy saving light bulbs
• Fit shelves above radiators
• Fit low cost secondary glazing
• Fit draught proofing to doors and windows

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Measures in the home

• Loft Insulation
• Installing 270mm (10 inches) can reduce heating
  costs by over 33.
• Cavity Wall Insulation
• Reduces heat loss through walls by around 60.
• Could save you 100-120 a year on your fuel
  bills.

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Appliances

• White goods European A-G rating
• Boilers SEDBUK A-E rating
• A-rated fridge freezer can save up to 35 per
  year
• Look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo on
  other goods

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Reducing lighting costs

• Energy saving light bulbs
• Use 75 less energy than a normal bulb and last
  12 times longer
• Can save up to 78 during their lifetime
• Replace T12 fluorescent strips with T8s- They
  cost no more and use 10 less energy
• Controls
• Motion sensors, Day light sensors time switches
• Turn them off! Posters stickers can be very
  effective

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Reducing water usage

• Every 1 m3 of water requires 1 kWh of energy to
  produce
• Flow restrictors i.e. spray taps shower heads
• Water hippos
• Grey water collection
• Water butts
• Remember! Always fix the drips!

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Grants for householders

• Main sources
• National Government Warm Front (Warm Deal in
  Scotland, HEES in Wales) and Energy Saving Trust
• Local Authorities HECA programmes
• Energy Providers Energy Efficiency Commitment

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Warm Front

• Available to
• Benefit claimants with children under 16 years of
  age or over 6o years
• Households claiming a range of disability and
  long-term sickness benefits
• Pregnant women (in receipt of MAT B1 form)
• Will provide
• Packages of insulation measures
• Heating and hot water system controls
• Improvements to existing heating systems up to a
  maximum of 2,700

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Energy efficiency commitment

• Energy Companies
• Often offer partial or full grants on cavity wall
  and loft insulation and other energy efficiency
  measures for home-owners and private tenants.
• Work with social landlords to improve property.
• Free low-energy light bulbs.
• Energy saving advice.

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Other schemes and support

• Local Authorities
• Often have their own grant schemes tailored to
  the areas residents
• Home repairs assistance, boiler replacement,
  insulation
• Winter Fuel Payment - 08459 15 15 15
• Government payment of 200 each winter to
  households with someone aged 60 or over and 300
  to householders with someone over 80 years
• Not means tested, subject to taxation or
  affecting any other benefits or allowances

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Grants for community developments

• Main sources
• DTI PV Demonstration Programme
• Energy Saving Trusts Community Energy Programme
• Energy Supplier Green Funds
• ClearSkies and Scottish Community and Householder
  Renewable Initiative (SCHRI)

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Major photovoltaic demonstration programme

• Launched March 2002, managed by the Energy Saving
  Trust
• 32 million fund over 4 years
• Grants range from 40-50
• Funding is split into 2 streams
• Stream 1 small scale (0.5-5kWp) rolling
  applications
• Stream 2 large scale (5-100kWp) quarterly
  competitive applications
• www.est.org.uk/solar/

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Community energy programme

• Provides grants of up to 40 of project cost to
  encourage community heating (often known as
  district heating).
• Community heating uses one central source of heat
  to supply to multiple buildings.
• It can also integrate the production of
  electricity (Combined heat and power CHP).
• www.est.org.uk/communityenergy

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Energy supplier green funds

• Various energy suppliers offer Green funds to
  invest in the installation of renewable
  generation for community based and educational
  projects.
• These funds are generated by the supplier
  matching the funds provided by their Green
  Electricity Customers.
• There may also be support available through the
  EEC schemes.

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ClearSkies

• Main government funding programme for renewables
  in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Scheme must demonstrate evidence of real
  community involvement and engagement.
• Scheme must enhance public awareness and
  understanding of renewable energy.
• Best chance of successful application for a
  community grant is to include two or more
  technologies, one being wind.
• Emphasis now on value for money so state /kW in
  applications.
• www.clear-skies.org

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Scottish Community Householder Renewable
Initiative

• A "one-stop" service for community groups and
  householders interested in developing renewable
  energy solutions in Scotland.
• Provides expertise, advice and development
  support to individual householders and community
  organisations including councils, housing
  associations and voluntary groups
• Capital funding is available up to a limit of 30
  of the cost of a project and a maximum grant of
  4000 for householders
• Community schemes can attract funding of up to
  10,000 for feasibility studies and 100,000 for
  capital expenditure.
• Further information on SCHRI and contact
  information for the various advisors across
  Scotland is available on the scheme's website at
  www.est.org.uk/schri

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How to find out more

• Contact CAfE for more advice and support for your
  community project or building 08701 261 444
• Contact your local Energy Efficiency Advice
  Centre for advice relating to domestic properties
  on
• FREEPHONE 0800 512 012
• Their service includes
• Home Energy Checks
• Advice and help with applying for grants
• Or look at www.est.org.uk/myhome for information
  about grants in your area.