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ESRC funded Project “Community Energy Initiatives: embedding
sustainable technologies at a local level”
De Montfort, Northumbria and Lancaster Universities: reviews of activity UK-wide, 6 case studies
PhD Studentships Community renewable energy in South Korea and Japan
(Yonjoo Jeong) Ownership, landscape and community renewables (Neil
Simcock) Plus multiple student undergrad and masters
dissertations …
Case Study 1: Llandwddyn Location:
Montgomeryshire, Wales Technology: Wood fuelled
local heating network; school & community centre, 19 local houses
Cost: £375,000 Programme: Community
Energy (EST)
Llanwddyn
Case Study 2: Moel Moelogan Location: North Wales Technology: 2 x 1.3MW
turbines; followed by a further 9, grid connected
Cost: £2.6 Million (phase 1)
Programme: Ashden Awards
Moel Moelogan
Case Study 3: Bro Dyfi Location: Dyfi Valley, Mid
Wales Technology: 75kw wind
turbine (grid connection in place)
Budget: £83,555 Programme: Baywind,
REIC
Bro Dyfi
Case Study 4: Kielder Location: Northumberland Technology: Biomass local heat
network; school, youth hostel, 6 houses, workshops, Castle
Budget: £630,000 Programme: Clear Skies, EST, CRI
Kielder
Case Study 5: Falstone Location: Northumberland Technology: Solar photovoltaic
(grid connected) and biomass boiler; tea rooms, shop, interpretation centre
Budget: £175,000 Programme: CRI, Clear Skies,
EST
Falstone
Case Study 6: Gamblesby Location: Cumbria Technology: Ground Source Heat
Pump for renovated village hall. Followed by 6kW wind charger.
Budget: £42,100 (GSHP and renovation)
Programme: CRI
Gamblesby
Case Study Selection and Methods Selection
all involve ‘successful’ technology installation including involvement of local people (in some
form)
Methods Regional interviews (15) Local interviews with those most directly
involved (41) Questionnaire survey of all local households
within settlement area (205 total)
Similarities Importance of individuals – initial idea, commitment, skills Profile of multiple outcomes - environmental, economic,
social Stress on local benefits Complex financial packages – and finance problems of
various forms (timings, amounts, restrictions) Need for advice, expertise (although from different sources) Need for support from key local institutions, particularly
local authorities/regeneration agencies Energy efficiency also included (directly or indirectly)
Differences Primary purpose (although all but one problem focused) Scale (physical, time, energy, cost) Technologies and form/function of energy generation Leadership/management arrangements Partnerships and alliances (formal, informal) Extent of reliance on, involvement with central government
community RE programmes Ownership arrangements Levels of direct involvement and contribution of local people Distribution of benefits and outcomes (local, collective) Degrees of local support/opposition Extent of technology and installation problems
Ownership Models community company
Tyndale Council then transferred to Kielder Community Enterprises Limited the trading arm of charity Kielder Limited
public body owning existing property old school buildings purchased by
National Park Authority existing community organisation
owning building Village Hall Committee (registered
charity) private ownership by local
entrepreneurs local farmers
energy services company (ESCO) DULAS install and operate, contracted by
Powys County Council cooperative
unincorporated association with 59 shareholders
Kielder
Falstone
Gamblesby
Bro Dyfi
Llanwddyn
Moel Moelogan
Involvement and contribution of local people
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Llanwddyn MoelMoelogan
Bro Dyfi Kielder Falstone Gamblesby
Proportion of 'Yes' Responses
1 2 Q1 Have you been involved in any way? Q2 Have you made any direct contribution to the project?
‘attended meetings- painted hall as a member of a group- donated money in lieu of silver wedding’
Gamblesby resident, response on questionnaire to ‘how have you been involved’
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
Llanwddyn MoelMoelogan
Bro Dyfi Kielder Falstone Gamblesby
Mean Value
I am in favour of the project
1. How and why are projects initiated and developed?
No one simple answer …..
Individuals in localities and roles are important.. for ideas, skills, providing impetus – both within
communities and partner institutions
BUT institutions and policies are important too.. individuals need and respond to the strategic
opportunities & openings that institutional agendas and initiatives provide (govn and non-govn)
.. as is, the particular context of time and place problems to be solved, and opportunities to do so
‘8 years ago our farming was taking a dive, I thought I needed to
diversify and looked to what we can do and there’s not much you can do up here. I thought of everything-dry ski slopes and anything, but the obvious one was wind and it made perfect sense for the tops of hills. And there was lots of talk in the paper at the time that this global warming thing might be a reality and renewable energy was about to explode and it sounded like a good time.’
‘I knew there was a European grant for farmers even thought it hadn’t been used for wind before, it was there as potential. The whole feeling of it sounded just what the government wanted to happen. They wanted more renewable energy, they wanted farmers to diversify and get together and work together. It had never been done and we didn’t know how we would do it ourselves but we just found out step by step’.
Moel Moelogan, Project Developer
Llanwddyn
Llanwddyn Biomass DHIdea from Vrnwy Forum a local residents group. - to boost local economy through using local wood plus - replace aged heating system for school - improve heating of local housing (mainly owned by Severn Trent) - reduce fuel poverty
Capital FundingERDF (30.5%) Welsh Assembly Government via Powys County Council (43.5%) Community Energy Programme (12.5%) Welsh Development Agency (13%)
FalstoneFalstone Biomass and solarLocal people approached the community development officer when village shop in old school buildings closed. National Park Authority developed RE aspects with architects.
Sustaining community facilitiesAttracting visitorsJobs for local peopleDemonstration sustainability project
What does community mean to you?
‘people who are willing to support and work for the common welfare and good’
‘where people live together in harmony with different cultures and interests, but with a strong feeling of trust and respect for one another’
‘a place where you live and raise your family amongst friends and people you know’
What does community mean to you?
‘people of the village and surrounding area who live and work in the area and are involved in things that go on in the area. Not people who buy houses and use them 1 or 2 weekends a month and keep themselves to themselves’
‘nothing now, as most people are too self centred’
‘bunch of nosey people slagging each other off behind their backs’
Debating community at Moel Moelogan
‘And when is a community project a community project? You know, this is 3 men who have set up a limited company and yet they give it these buzz words, they use words like community and sustainability and they press particular buttons don’t they?’ Moel Moelogan, member of opposition group
‘Clearly there’s a substantial difference between a community project that does support the community and one that is owned by the community. I don’t think it’s a worry that they sit side by side, I think it’s a good thing …. The problem is that it does raise these issues of local jealousies, rivalries, whereas the community projects perhaps as the text book lays it out is meant to take care of that through consultation and people being involved in it in the true sense of ownership.’Conwy Energy Agency
‘One of the main factors which kept cropping up was that the project was run by local people. Even though its not a community project as such, the benefit was going to stay in the area, rather than being developed by a large multinational company where the profits all go out of the area? County Councillor
two key dimensions are seen as making projects in some way ‘community’ process: how the project is developed and
run, who is involved and has influence outcome: how the project outcomes are
distributed, who benefits
The process of developing and
running a project is
closed, distant and
institutional (public or private)
The process of developing
and running a project is
open, local and
participatory
The PROCESS dimension of RE projects
who is involved and has influence
The beneficial outcomes of a
project are distant and
private
The beneficial outcomes of a
project are local, shared/
collective
The OUTCOME dimension of RE projects
who benefits?
PROCESS
OUTCOMES
Open, local, participatory
Closed, distant, institutional
Distant, private
Local, collective
PROCESS
OUTCOMES
Open, local, participatory
Closed, distant, institutional
Distant, private
Local, collectiveFalstone
Gamblesby
Kielder
Llanwdynn
Utility wind farm
Moel Moelogan
Bro Dyfi
PROCESS
OUTCOMES
Open, local, participatory
Closed, distant, institutional
Distant, private
Local, collectiveFalstone
Gamblesby
Kielder
Bro Dyfi
Llanwdynn
Utility wind farm
Moel Moelogan
PROCESS
OUTCOMES
Open, local, participatory
Closed, distant, institutional
Distant, private
Local, collectiveFalstone
Gamblesby
Kielder
Bro Dyfi
Llanwdynn
Utility wind farm
Moel Moelogan
what counts as ‘community’ is flexibly defined; on the ground as well as by funding/support programmes. This reflects:
what is locally appropriate and possible diverse motivations and drivers how using a community approach fits with agenda of
important institutions and funders the extent to which there are already cohesive,
connected and trusting relationships between local people and reflected in community groups
within small rural settlements (where most community RE is happening) there is some scope for a cohesive, inclusive and cooperative community to be mobilised, but:
they are in reality, rarely found, and may be illusory innovation with RET may not be embraced, or be appropriate
(to time and place) there are social fractures, exclusivities and conflicts within all
places processes have dynamics and relationships/positions can
change over time processes of public consultation and participation can be
evaluated and represented in different ways
adopting a community approach, or using a community label, cannot guarantee wholesale local acceptance and support ………
The project has brought the community together
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Llanwddyn MoelMoelogan
Bro Dyfi Kielder Falstone Gamblesby
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
In addition to local social and economic outcomes, learning processes of various forms are widely claimed: from project to project -visits, presentations, resources,
contractors etc… from project to local people - understanding, support for
RET, micro-adoption, green lifestyles but evidence not clear
problems of ‘measurement’ - anecdotal rather than systematic
Key policy issue given small energy generation and carbon reduction usually involved
9.9%
32.5%30.4%
18.8%
8.4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
StronglyAgree
Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree
I understand more about renewable energy as a result of this project
10.0%
27.9%
34.7%
18.4%
8.9%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
StronglyAgree
Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree
I feel more positive about renewable energy as a result of this project
I am more aware of climate change as a result of this project
4.8%
13.2%
40.7%
29.6%
11.6%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
StronglyAgree
Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree
25.0%
34.9%
25.0%
6.8%8.3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
StronglyAgree
Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree
I think projects like this should be set up in other places as well
18.9%23.0%
31.6%
11.2%
15.3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
StronglyAgree
Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree
I feel a sense of pride in the project
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Llanwddyn MoelMoelogan
Bro Dyfi Kielder Falstone Gamblesby
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
I feel more positive about renewable energy as a result of this project
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Llanwddyn MoelMoelogan
Bro Dyfi Kielder Falstone Gamblesby
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
I feel a sense of pride in the project
Concluding Comments These six cases particularly show:
diversity and multi-functionality community RE is not one category; recognising the
many differences and some commonalities is important projects are all time and place dependent and to some
degree opportunistic there are many financial, technical, social challenges wider learning outcomes can be achieved technological innovation is far more than developing ‘kit
that works’ – innovation in social and economic arrangements
Since undertaking the research, policy and support structures have changed, profile of who is involved has evolved, stronger focus on low carbon communities
Concluding Comments But … for every success there are many that fall by the
way side or never get going
“years can tick by with other community projects. Nobody is willing to take the bull by the horn and drive it”
“the problem is that they are such hard work, they are difficult to get off the ground. There’s always the argument that I can probably put in ten times as many cavity walls and lofts in an urban area as I can in a rural area”
“I am very cautious about getting involved in community initiatives because you know that you are going to invest a huge amount of time in it for very little return”
“. if its an affluent area where you’ve got people who are well used to filling in that sort of application form and they have the intelligence to deal with it and follow it through and chase it, then they are the ones who benefit. And you get the poorer communities where maybe they would use it more haven’t got the people within that community who can drive it forward and deliver it and so its not equitable at all”