Help people save energy and money

Would you like to help people save energy and money? The Centre for Sustainable Energy is looking for people to become local energy advice volunteers.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy is a charity working across the former Avon area, Somerset and Wiltshire to support people living in cold homes or having difficulty managing their energy costs. They are looking for people who can spare some time to help provide home energy advice to people in their local area.

No experience is necessary as you will be given basic training in energy efficiency and giving advice and will receive lots of "on the job" training as you are out and about with their advisors. All out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. For more information, email volunteers@cse.org.uk

And don't forget if you're in fuel poverty, you may be eligible for a grant towards installing central heating - more information here. The scheme has now been extended to cover oil where gas is not available but if you think you are eligible, apply quickly as funds are limited.

Help for those in fuel poverty

If you live in fuel poverty, don't have a central heating system and your property has an Energy Performance Certificate Rating of E, F or G, you could be eligible for a grant of up to £4,000 to have a new central heating system installed. The funding is available until 31st August 2016.

You can read more here. Further information and energy efficiency advice is available by calling the Warm and Well advice line on 0800 500 3076, by emailing warm&well@severnwye.org.uk or by texting ‘WARM’ to 83010.

Anyone considering installing a central heating system should also ensure that their home is insulated. You may be entitled to a grant for cavity wall and loft insulation through the Warm and Well scheme, which can save £160 per year on fuel bills. All grants are subject to a survey and availability.

Energy efficiency advice available

Are you planning energy efficiency improvements in your home, business premises or a community building? If so, visit the new Link to Energy website. Run by Severn Wye Energy Agency and supported by South Gloucestershire Council, it aims to help connect local installers with home owners, businesses and community groups.

If you have questions about what technologies might be suitable for your home, want to find out more about the Renewable Heat Incentive, or just would like some free impartial advice before you send an enquiry to a Link to Energy installer member, please get in touch with the Severn Wye Energy Agency by phone 0800 500 3076 or email warmandwell@severnwye.org.uk

Warm Up South Gloucestershire

Are you the landlord of a rented property in South Gloucestershire? Is it cold and draughty? If so, take a look at the new initiative Warm Up South Gloucestershire which has been launched by the council this week.

The scheme offers landlords significant help to improve inefficient properties in a bid to protect tenants against cold, draughty houses. It offers a range of measures, including heating upgrades, cavity wall and loft insulation, draught proofing and double glazing. There is also a limited amount of additional support available to landlords for installing a new gas connection if required.

The initiative applies to landlords who own properties with an F or G energy rating, which means they’re very energy inefficient, and offers two thirds off, up to a maximum of £3,000, for home improvement measures.

The council has secured government funding to deliver the measures and work will be completed by a largely local small and medium sized enterprise (SME) supply chain to ensure that South Gloucestershire businesses benefit. The funding was secured in conjunction with Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council who are running their own Warm Up campaigns.

The funding for the scheme is limited, so you need to act quickly to take advantage of it.

If you're a landlord, go to www.warmupsouthglos.co.uk and call 0800 980 09 02 to find out more. If you're a tenant, speak to your landlord about the scheme.

Renewables and landscapes - have your say

South Gloucestershire Council is currently running two consultations on planning documents - one on guidance for renewables the other on an assessment of our local landscapes.

The council is consulting on its Draft Renewables Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) until Friday 7th March. This is intended to help our area achieve its renewables targets, give guidance on what needs to be included in applications and how they will be judged and encourage communities to get involved in projects.

You can view the documents and have your say at:

www.southglos.gov.uk/renewablesSPD

Comments will help to shape the final document, which is expected to be adopted by the council in May.

Lib Dem planning spokesperson Pat Hockey explains, "Enabling a meaningful proportion of needs for electricity and heating to come from renewable sources is a key part of the Council’s Climate Change Strategy. It is important for residents to understand how it is proposed to do this and let us know whether they agree with it."

"The Landscape Strategy dates back to 2005 and there have been significant changes over the years. As renewable energy installations often have an impact on the landscape it seems a good idea to review the Landscape Strategy at the same time. We hope that local people will turn to the pages that assess the landscape that is familiar to them and let the Council have their views. This will be an important document for deciding on planning applications, not just those for wind turbines and solar farms."

You also have until Friday 7 March 2014 to comment on the Draft Landscape Character Assessment. You can do this online at:

www.southglos.gov.uk/landscapecharacterSPD

Energy Loan Scheme launched

South Glos Council has recently launched an energy loan scheme to help homeowners carry out a range of projects, including installing solar panels, biomass boilers or upgrading their existing heating. For further details call the energy advice line for free on 0800 500 3076.

Would you like to join a wood buying group?

Do you use bought-in logs for heating? Would you be interested in joining a wood buying group to use bulk purchasing to reduce prices?

Westerleigh resident Stephen Knowles, pictured above left, is hoping to set up a wood buying group in the village. If you are interested, please email him at stephen.knowles@bristolenergy.coop and let him know how many cubic metre bags of wood you use per year on average.

Getting on with going green

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change joined 10s of 1000s of other visitors to the West of England this weekend to mark the start of Bristol Green Week. Ed Davey MP (pictured right) was the keynote speaker at the Green Liberal Democrat (GLD) conference, Getting on with Going Green, held at UWE and timed to coincide with the environmental festival. The GLD conference attendees included academics, industry leaders and political activists.

Energy & Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, said: "It’s great to be here for the Green Liberal Democrats Conference. It provides me with a valuable opportunity to listen carefully to delegates’ views on how we ‘get on with going green’. This year’s focus on delivering the green agenda is timely, and comes at a time when the Liberal Democrats in Government are making unprecedented progress.

The Energy Bill has passed the Commons stages and the overwhelming support it received sends out a clear message we are taking action to keep the lights on, create cleaner energy and green jobs, and keep consumers’ bills down.

GLD Conference volunteer co-organiser Mary Page said, "We have worked hard to bring together environmental and sustainability professionals from both academia and industry to provide expert information to Lib Dem policy makers."

"We did this because we believe, not that Lib Dems in government aren't trying hard enough to implement green policies but that they are doing so against very solid resistance. This means Lib Dem MPs and party policy makers need the GLD & other environmentalists actively engaged in the design, creation and evolution of policies which will help produce a strong green economy in a fair and sustainable society."

Local councillor Claire Young, who attended the conference, said, "It was a fantastic opportunity to share ideas and raise issues with those at the heart of Government and learn from experts in the field."

"We know that the cost of energy is a concern for people locally. Nationally, the Lib Dems are delivering schemes like the Green Deal, which will help people boost the energy efficiency of their homes. Here in South Gloucestershire too we have been pushing for measures to help people. Earlier in the week we won cross-party backing to fund a Switch and Save scheme, using the power of collective buying to cut energy bills, and to kick start a community energy co-op. Community energy offers people a share in the profits of local renewable energy installations and gives us a chance to break away from the dominance of the big six energy providers."

Good news on energy

Energy prices are soaring hitting everyone, especially the vulnerable. Your Focus Team has won cross-party backing on South Glos Council for two energy initiatives:

• At Dave Hockey’s suggestion, officers are investigating a council-run collective energy switching scheme. £5000 has been identified to piggy back on the Bristol "Switch and Save" scheme (www.bristolswitchandsave.org.uk) which would allow local residents to gain discounts on their power bills of between £60 and £250 pounds per year.
• Claire Young successfully proposed setting aside £15,000 of Invest to Save money to help kick-start a Community Energy Co-op in South Glos. These organisations support communities to develop renewable energy projects, including on community buildings and schools, and offer people a share in the profits of local installations. Bath and West Community Energy (www.bwce.coop) and Bristol Energy Co-op (www.bristolenergy.coop) are both running successfully in neighbouring authorities.

People power

Energy prices are soaring hitting everyone, especially those who are vulnerable and who
don’t know how to go about switching their suppliers.

At Dave Hockey’s suggestion, South Glos Council Officers are now investigating the possibility of
signing up to a scheme which would allow local residents to gain discounts on their power bills of
between £60 and £250 pounds per year, with an average saving of £125 per year.

These savings have been assessed from schemes introduced in the last year by over 150 councils
across the UK. More than 100,000 people have already signed up to council-run collective
switching schems saving a massive £10,000,000 on their gas and electricity bills according to a
recent analysis by the Local Government Association.

More details are available online for the Bristol City Council scheme at:

www.bristolswitchandsave.org.uk

South Glos Council are investigating the possibility of piggy-backing on this scheme.

Dave Hockey said, “We hope that all South Glos residents will soon be able to gain the benefits
from a Council led ‘Switch & Save’ scheme, especially those who are finding it difficult to make
ends meet and who are at increasing risk of fuel poverty as energy prices continue to soar”.

Energy advice

If you missed the recent Energy Day in Westerleigh, the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) have kindly provided some information that you might find useful:

• Information on the Green Deal and whether the supporting ECO could reduce the cost of solid wall insulation  
• Domestic renewable heating, in particular ground source heat pumps and wood burning boilers/stoves  
• How the Renewable Heat Incentive could support/encourage local residents 
• A film giving guidance on setting up a community wood fuel project
• Information, guidance and videos on community solar projects

 More information on CSE's work with community groups and the free resources they offer can be found on their website.

Westerleigh Energy Day success

Kieran Highman (centre) of the Centre for Sustainable Energy discussing renewable energy with a Westerleigh resident

There was a good turnout for the Westerleigh Village Energy Day. It kicked off with a workshop where Keiran Highman of the Centre for Sustainable Energy used a large model to illustrate different types of sustainable energy that communities could consider. This was followed by a drop-in where people could get advice on installing solar panels and wood burners, getting grants to improve their insulation and keeping warm and well in their homes.

Local Councillor Claire Young (pictured on the right in the picture above) said, "It was good to see so many local residents at the event. Rising home fuel costs are a concern, especially for those living in communities like Westerleigh with no mains gas supply. The workshop and stalls sparked a number of ideas and I look forward to supporting residents with any future energy projects. Thank you to everyone involved in organising the day."

Could YOU be a volunteer advisor to help tackle fuel poverty?

Do you live in South Gloucestershire, are you over 50? Do you want to make a difference in your local community? The Centre for Sustainable Energy is looking to recruit volunteers who are keen to learn about energy and willing to share their knowledge in the community.

A session for potential volunteers is being held at Yate Library on Tuesday 24th July 2012. If you are interested in helping older people at risk of, or already suffering from, fuel poverty then please visit the CSE website.

Community Energy Projects - find out more

The next free to attend meeting of Cotswold Edge Sustainability Network will feature a short talk by Pete Capener, Chair of Bath & West Community Energy. Peter has 25 years experience in this field through building a successful community energy company and also as a member of the Energy Minister's Community Energy Contact Group. The meeting will be on Wednesday, 4th July 2012 from 7.30 to 8.30pm at The Major's Retreat, Tormarton. More information is available online.

Save money on heating

In our surveys you told us domestic heating costs are a big concern. Free loft and cavity wall insulation is now available to everyone, subject to survey. For free and impartial advice contact the Severn Wye Energy Agency on Freephone 0800 500 30 76, Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm.

Green scheme will lead to lower bills

Money-saving “Smart Meters” will soon be available to borrow free from libraries across South Gloucestershire, thanks to a successful proposal made by the Liberal Democrats at the South Gloucestershire Council meeting this week.

Smart meters measure the electricity being used by home electrical appliances and enable users to find ways to reduce their electricity consumption. When a library loan scheme was introduced last year in York, the overwhelming demand for the meters meant that the number available for hire had to be doubled.

Bringing the scheme here was the brainchild of local Councillor Dave Hockey (pictured right with a smart meter). Speaking after the meeting he said, “I am delighted that South Glos Council unanimously backed this Lib Dem proposal which has proved to be so popular with local residents in York. Residents will now have the chance to borrow a smart meter for a week to check which of their appliances are the heaviest users of electricity in time to take action and cut both their bills and their carbon footprint - brilliant!'”

Energy problems - and advice on renewable energy

With the cold weather and economic problems, many people will be worried about their fuel bills this winter. Local MP Steve Webb has discovered that the vast majority of people in "fuel poverty" are missing out on the special deals for vulnerable people. You can read more on Steve's blogg and in The Times.

If your thoughts have turned to alternative forms of energy, you might be interested in SG Futurenergy, a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council and the Severn Wye Energy Agency which offers advice on renewable energy. The scheme also offers grants and low interest loans to help people install renewable energy.

Energy savers wanted!

South Gloucestershire residents are being asked to take part in anew energy saving competition.

Communities will go head to head in the competition to see who can reduce their energy consumption the most over a 6 month period. Winners will be awarded an Eco Hamper for each household as well as tickets to travel to an International Awards Ceremony in Brussels.

All participants will receive a variety of energy saving gadgets and eco goodies throughout the competition, including energy saving lightbulbs, eco kettles and hot water tank jackets, and will have the chance to win spot prizes of standby saver gadgets, water powered clocks, fridgesaver plugs and wind up radios and torches.

Competition organisers are looking for 10-15 households in South Gloucestershire

To take part or find out more contact the Severn Wye Energy Agency (www.swea.co.uk) on 0800 512 012.

Rising energy costs

Local MP Steve Webb has recently blogged about the massive gas price hikes.

Those looking to renewable energy to help with the problem of rising fuel costs can find more information on the South Glos website.