Banter 22: Energy and Low Carbon activities, 05Jun24, Adam Birchweaver

Adam summarises the many ongoing projects within Essex sponsored by the Energy and Low Carbon team

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Last updated 6 months ago

37 00:11:38.351 --> 00:12:00.460 Andrew Maliphant: so we've got, I think maybe about 20 people joining us today, so we'll see where we go. Those don't know my lovely face. My name is Andrew Malfun and the chairman of the great collaboration. We normally have our good colleague, Graham, still at stones during these sessions, but he he is on tour in Somerset. He may join us quietly, but that's where we are. 38 00:12:00.746 --> 00:12:09.640 Andrew Maliphant: I'll I'll ask. Adam, I'll ask you to introduce yourself when you get to to your beginning your speeches. John, do you wanna say something about who you are? 39 00:12:10.190 --> 00:12:15.500 John Payne: Yep, I I live in the Lower Wye valley near Monmouth and 40 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:27.069 John Payne: I'm involved with the Forest of Dean District Council over issues, and I've recently completed a survey with a friend on the A. 40, which, as you may know, is the 41 00:12:27.110 --> 00:12:32.760 John Payne: most important economic route which has been partially blocked by a rockfall for 5 months. 42 00:12:32.890 --> 00:12:34.680 John Payne: Alright, indeed! Yeah. 43 00:12:35.510 --> 00:12:38.290 Andrew Maliphant: Great joy. Mike, from hay, resilience. 44 00:12:40.460 --> 00:12:46.610 Mike E- Hay Resilience Initiative: Hi! I'm from Hay. I run I I'm a director of Hey public library.org 45 00:12:47.181 --> 00:13:02.650 Mike E- Hay Resilience Initiative: we sold division to Powys County Council in order to keep our library open and set up a Cic to do that, and the vision was to look for the future of of the use of libraries in Powys as such. 46 00:13:02.730 --> 00:13:08.189 Mike E- Hay Resilience Initiative: So one of the things we wanted to do was to start community assemblies. 47 00:13:08.450 --> 00:13:19.269 Mike E- Hay Resilience Initiative: and we've set up the Hay Resilience initiative, which is a 3 pillar initiative run by community assemblies. The 1st is to see whether our community can become self sufficient in food 48 00:13:19.725 --> 00:13:31.389 Mike E- Hay Resilience Initiative: the second one is to look after the mental wellbeing of our local people. And the 3rd is to set up a Community Energy Company and see if we can come self sufficient in energy. 49 00:13:32.300 --> 00:13:38.189 Andrew Maliphant: Right. Thank you. And so we'll be very interested to see what Adam has to say about community energy in this presentation today. 50 00:13:38.903 --> 00:13:40.289 Andrew Maliphant: Stuart. Second. 51 00:13:40.790 --> 00:13:42.764 Cllr Dr Stuart Withington Great Dunmow TC: Hi! I'm Stuart Whittington. I'm 52 00:13:44.251 --> 00:13:50.319 Cllr Dr Stuart Withington Great Dunmow TC: retired NHS consultant and a town councillor in Great Dunmow TC, 53 00:13:50.370 --> 00:13:52.946 Cllr Dr Stuart Withington Great Dunmow TC: near Stansted in Essex. 54 00:13:53.700 --> 00:13:57.840 Cllr Dr Stuart Withington Great Dunmow TC: I am chair of the Council's Climate Action group. 55 00:13:59.043 --> 00:14:00.026 Cllr Dr Stuart Withington Great Dunmow TC: Currently 56 00:14:01.060 --> 00:14:04.487 Cllr Dr Stuart Withington Great Dunmow TC: as well as many other things I'm trying to get 57 00:14:04.850 --> 00:14:08.629 Cllr Dr Stuart Withington Great Dunmow TC: solar Pv. And batteries on most of our buildings. 58 00:14:09.100 --> 00:14:17.940 Andrew Maliphant: Alright tremendous! Yeah, I'm doing trying to do the same with our community library. But that's taking a while for different reasons, which I won’t bore everybody with. Virginia from Tenterden. 59 00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:42.210 Virginia Hodge, Tenterden Town Council, Kent: Hello, yeah, I'm Virginia from Tenterden Town council. I've not been on one of these before, so this is new to me. And I'm the business and tourism officer for the town council. So that's quite a varied role. Encouraging tourist to visit the town and supported businesses. 60 00:14:43.086 --> 00:14:57.650 Virginia Hodge, Tenterden Town Council, Kent: With any needs they have, and under that banner as well as climate seems to fall climate action, active travel, and also about how to get around the town more sustainably to a tourist locations. 61 00:14:57.650 --> 00:15:08.224 Andrew Maliphant: Really another, another busy person, very much, very welcome Wendy. We'd like to say a couple we're just introducing ourselves briefly, bit, while people arrive, and then we'll get to the talk with them. Wendy. 62 00:15:08.510 --> 00:15:15.829 wendy thomson: Yeah, Lindsay Thompson. I'm not currently a counselor, but I may be co-opted. I don't know. There's there's only 3 63 00:15:15.850 --> 00:15:35.800 wendy thomson: empty places, and I believe there's more than 3 applicants. But no, I'm I'm interested. I was a counselor for 12 months before the elections. And yeah, no, I'm I've always been interested in the in the climate side of it, and I'm just trying to ascertain what is in the art of the possible that councils can do, because 64 00:15:36.050 --> 00:15:38.030 wendy thomson: don't feel like we're doing enough. 65 00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:40.469 wendy thomson: But all of what I've seen and heard 66 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:50.290 wendy thomson: from the session so far been very inspiring, and it's good to see that there is stuff happening out there. So that's Wendy Thompson. I'm in Gloucestershire, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. 67 00:15:50.290 --> 00:16:02.359 Andrew Maliphant: Stonehouse. Great? Yeah, we're very much for the great collaborations about is gathering good practice and sharing it councils and with the community groups so that we can actually get weaving on the ground. Amanda Davis, from the Cotswolds. 68 00:16:03.510 --> 00:16:07.949 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: Hello! Hello! Is this Andrew? That's presenting this one today. 69 00:16:07.950 --> 00:16:09.410 Andrew Maliphant: I'm I'm in the chair today. Yes. 70 00:16:09.410 --> 00:16:10.040 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: That is Terry. 71 00:16:10.040 --> 00:16:11.699 Andrew Maliphant: Everyone's on tour. Yes. 72 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:20.459 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: Okay. So I'm Amanda Davis, counselor in Broughton on the water. A very touristic part of the Cotswold s 73 00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:25.899 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: and I've got lots of different roles, including director of Mid County Co-OP 74 00:16:26.110 --> 00:16:30.050 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: Board, member of Cotswold National landscape, which is one of the AONBs, 75 00:16:30.760 --> 00:16:33.859 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: and foster moms guide dogs. 76 00:16:33.880 --> 00:16:39.709 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: 1 of mine's newly pregnant. So puppies on the way. 77 00:16:39.710 --> 00:16:40.420 Andrew Maliphant: Alright 78 00:16:41.130 --> 00:16:48.250 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: Oh, and I've got new since last time, which is I've just got my climate. Come on, help me out. 79 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:49.960 Andrew Maliphant: Carbon, literacy. 80 00:16:50.290 --> 00:16:52.879 Amanda Davis Cotswolds: Carbon literacy qualification. There we go. 81 00:16:52.880 --> 00:17:00.389 Andrew Maliphant: Fantastic. Well done! Great stuff! Oh, there's our hound appearing. Yeah. Jacky. We got 2 or 3 more people to go through them to start and talk. Jacky. 82 00:17:00.390 --> 00:17:08.659 Jacky Lawrence, Napton PC Climate and Environment Working Party: So for Adam, I was before retiring. I was an energy manager at a County Council for 20 years, either in charge of the energy team or the climate change team. 83 00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:19.560 Jacky Lawrence, Napton PC Climate and Environment Working Party: I worked with the energy systems catapult on developing net zero, I led the the UK, the local authority, user group testing and validating net zero. 84 00:17:19.750 --> 00:17:37.390 Jacky Lawrence, Napton PC Climate and Environment Working Party: I'm a member of Napton Parish councils, working party on climate environment. I'm an assessor for Uk climate emergency, on governance and finance. I'm the steering group for Napton environmental action team and local mortgage network and an trustee of an environmental charity. 85 00:17:37.710 --> 00:17:43.709 Andrew Maliphant: Fantastic. We are all very busy people here today. This is amazing. Bonny Williams, welcome your 1st meeting. I believe. 86 00:17:44.640 --> 00:18:09.369 Bonny Williams - Community Climate Action. PACE Manningtree: Yes, thank you very much. So I work with Joolz Thompson on community climate action. And I'm also trustee of Pace Manningtree. So, Manningtree being on the border of Suffolk and Essex, and mostly what we doing there is kind of local community based climate action and with community climate action we are doing as it sounds going and kind of working with different communities, helping them to make a climate action plan in their local area. 87 00:18:10.070 --> 00:18:14.130 Andrew Maliphant: Good job. Great stuff! Welcome Delia from Shropshire? 88 00:18:16.290 --> 00:18:19.759 Delia Yapp- Shropshire Council: Hello to you all. It's Delia and Otterly. 89 00:18:21.845 --> 00:18:22.210 Delia Yapp- Shropshire Council: Simply 90 00:18:22.690 --> 00:18:37.269 Delia Yapp- Shropshire Council: so I'm part of the economic growth team at Shropshire Council, but with a keen interest in climate change, and I work very closely with our climate change team. So part of my day job is working with businesses who are trying to green and bring support in so that they can 91 00:18:37.270 --> 00:19:00.049 Delia Yapp- Shropshire Council: bring grants perspective. It's about saving money, but we also hit the climate change agenda as well on carbon savings and on a personal level end of in Herefordshire and part of my community environmental group. We are one of the communities that floods quite badly. So the environment is is very prominent in our area. And so we are. I'm really interested to speak to Bonnie about 92 00:19:00.060 --> 00:19:09.160 Delia Yapp- Shropshire Council: community climate action. So that's an interesting one already. But just to learn really what everybody's doing, what can we bring over? What can we do in Shropshire? What can I do with my local community in heritage. 93 00:19:09.840 --> 00:19:16.530 Andrew Maliphant: Thank you. But we'll hear lots more about energy shortly. Just a couple of more people Gary from Corsham. Do you want to say quick, couple of words about yourself. 94 00:19:19.340 --> 00:19:31.751 Garry Ford Corsham Town Council: Afternoon. Everyone. Hi, yeah, I'm Gary from Corsham town Council. I'm the environmental officer here in Corsham my main role is to deliver the Climate Action plan and the biodiversity action plans on behalf of the Council. 95 00:19:33.251 --> 00:19:38.525 Andrew Maliphant: Thank you very much. Jules. Your name's already been taken in vain by Bonnie. 96 00:19:39.828 --> 00:19:42.540 Andrew Maliphant: so I'll say quick, couple of words before we go to our speaker. 97 00:19:43.138 --> 00:20:00.361 Joolz | Community Climate Action: I'm guessing Bonnie's already introduced herself, and yes, she's a co-founder and facilitator of one of our best parts of community climate action. So we write and enact or help communities to write and enact their community climate action plan. I'm based in, and a parish councillor in, Hopton. 98 00:20:00.820 --> 00:20:16.024 Joolz | Community Climate Action: and a founder of a community benefit society. Good. I farm. We've got 10 acres of land for protection, conservation, limited market garden community supported agriculture and a community pub, which is a great place to have a chat. I reply about the climate. 99 00:20:16.370 --> 00:20:16.659 Andrew Maliphant: It's. 100 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:17.673 Joolz | Community Climate Action: But I'm. 101 00:20:18.030 --> 00:20:20.430 Andrew Maliphant: Apply to your pub at some suitable but early date. 102 00:20:20.430 --> 00:20:22.509 Joolz | Community Climate Action: Everyone's invited. Let's have a party. 103 00:20:22.510 --> 00:20:23.760 Andrew Maliphant: Taped yet. 104 00:20:23.770 --> 00:20:35.300 Andrew Maliphant: Okay, I'm conscious, Adam. I think we need. We need get your presentation underway just before we start, everybody, and we'll we'll speak with John Fagan in a moment to introduce himself later on in the program. 105 00:20:35.675 --> 00:20:40.985 Andrew Maliphant: Just to show that if anybody wants to raise there's a button in the bottom of of 106 00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:54.310 Andrew Maliphant: your screens for raising your hand if you want to speak or ask a question, and that's straightforward enough. We have got a chat icon. If you've got questions you want to put in the chat as we go through the talk and listen to things. 107 00:20:54.310 --> 00:21:21.589 Andrew Maliphant: please feel able to do that very much. So. So I've got to please to introduce Adam. But we were promising a bit more about himself. He's from the energy and carbon reduction team, a Essex County Council. He'll stop me if I've got that wrong, and he's going to tell us very much. Obviously got it a bit wrong. He's only gonna tell us a lot more about what is happening throughout Essex County. In particular, reference to energy, particular reference to community energy, Adam, the floor is yours. 108 00:21:21.590 --> 00:21:33.997 Adam Birchweaver: Thank you, Andrew, much appreciated. And thank you all for for coming. I think that these these banter sessions are are awesome, and I think that it's cool, that that that you guys have been doing them. 109 00:21:34.804 --> 00:21:39.665 Adam Birchweaver: But yeah, you almost got my title right. It's energy and low Carbon Project officer. 110 00:21:40.450 --> 00:21:46.350 Adam Birchweaver: there are people on my team that have longer titles. But yeah, it. And and that's within the energy and low carbon team 111 00:21:46.808 --> 00:21:50.990 Adam Birchweaver: at Essex County Council, which is in the environmental department. 112 00:21:52.640 --> 00:22:00.100 Adam Birchweaver: But yeah, it's it's it's kind of an interesting position to have, because it's a relatively new position like they these. 113 00:22:00.470 --> 00:22:02.490 Adam Birchweaver: the energy and low carbon team didn't exist.

WEBVTT 16 00:01:03.540 --> 00:01:22.159 Adam Birchweaver: But yeah, as I was saying the the energy and low carbon team at Essex County Council is is a relatively new new thing which is awesome. Yeah, it could just goes to show that there is you know, interest at the at the local government level to to do, to to support. 17 00:01:23.041 --> 00:01:25.500 Adam Birchweaver: You know, community energy initiatives. 18 00:01:25.988 --> 00:01:32.351 Adam Birchweaver: Just quickly on myself. I I'm you probably could tell I'm not. I don't have a very thick English accent. 19 00:01:32.930 --> 00:01:35.399 Adam Birchweaver: I have. I'm actually from Canada. 20 00:01:35.730 --> 00:01:42.659 Adam Birchweaver: and I've just recently well, recently, Ish moved to the Uk. My wife is from here 21 00:01:43.346 --> 00:01:43.783 Adam Birchweaver: and 22 00:01:44.620 --> 00:01:50.976 Adam Birchweaver: I have a background much like Joolz and a few others in market gardening. 23 00:01:52.017 --> 00:02:07.052 Adam Birchweaver: So for a long time I was I was promoting, and I'd be I was an advocate for for local food. As a way to take climate action and and that's kind of eventually translated into doing more things around. 24 00:02:07.800 --> 00:02:17.021 Adam Birchweaver: you know, educating in schools and and teaching students about climate climate change, what it is, what we can do about it, and then 25 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:28.430 Adam Birchweaver: fast forward several years. And here I am. So now I'm with Essex County Council on on what I think is quite a pro progressive initiative. 26 00:02:29.330 --> 00:02:33.929 Adam Birchweaver: So yeah. So I'm here to kind of talk to you all about what 27 00:02:34.710 --> 00:02:36.239 Adam Birchweaver: what I'm doing. 28 00:02:36.725 --> 00:02:45.030 Adam Birchweaver: and what our team is doing, and and and a huge part of that is is supporting grassroots. 29 00:02:45.930 --> 00:02:47.010 Adam Birchweaver: Bottom up 30 00:02:48.640 --> 00:02:49.709 Adam Birchweaver: initiatives. 31 00:02:51.040 --> 00:02:59.880 Adam Birchweaver: often oftentimes volunteer led community energy groups that that are sort of springing up all over the country. I think that 32 00:03:01.118 --> 00:03:07.399 Adam Birchweaver: there's around like 500 plus community energy groups in England or in the Uk 33 00:03:08.830 --> 00:03:26.999 Adam Birchweaver: and and that number is rising fast. I've only been on this team for 6 or 7 months, and when I 1st started there was like 5 or 6 groups that that the team really knew about now where we were working with. And now there's about 22 or 23 groups. 34 00:03:28.137 --> 00:03:35.100 Adam Birchweaver: And those groups, you know, they vary in size and and scale. Some of them are are a couple of people meeting down at the pub. 35 00:03:36.436 --> 00:03:48.903 Adam Birchweaver: You know. Talk, kick around, kick around some ideas and and and that, but but a lot of groups are also, you know, quite established. There's there's there's, you know, there's there's Cbs's Cic's 36 00:03:50.237 --> 00:03:53.520 Adam Birchweaver: you know, getting funding, doing projects 37 00:03:53.950 --> 00:03:56.659 Adam Birchweaver: and doing some interesting stuff. So 38 00:03:57.491 --> 00:04:07.398 Adam Birchweaver: I'm just gonna I'm gonna do a presentation. I it's not gonna be as like fun and interactive as Jules was the other week. But I'll do my best. 39 00:04:08.550 --> 00:04:12.850 Adam Birchweaver: and let's see if I can get this up here. 40 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:23.590 Adam Birchweaver: Okay, can everyone just nod your head if you can, if you can see that, and if the slides are changing when I'm. 41 00:04:23.590 --> 00:04:24.729 Andrew Maliphant: Yup looking good. 42 00:04:24.730 --> 00:04:26.753 Adam Birchweaver: Okay, cool. Yeah, so, 43 00:04:27.260 --> 00:04:33.839 John Fagan: You are you? You are showing your speaker version, not the app, so we can see your notes. 44 00:04:33.840 --> 00:04:34.280 Adam Birchweaver: Oh! 45 00:04:34.280 --> 00:04:40.300 John Fagan: So you're sharing the wrong. You're on 2 screens, I think. So. You're sharing the wrong screen. 46 00:04:40.540 --> 00:04:44.359 Adam Birchweaver: Okay, let's see if I can 47 00:04:44.550 --> 00:04:45.800 Adam Birchweaver: do. 48 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:47.420 John Fagan: Are you on 2 screens? 49 00:04:48.270 --> 00:04:49.020 Adam Birchweaver: Yeah. 50 00:04:49.390 --> 00:04:50.020 John Fagan: Hasn't yet. 51 00:04:50.020 --> 00:04:54.160 Bonny Williams: It's just presenter view. You need to be just the normal 52 00:04:54.870 --> 00:04:56.270 Bonny Williams: slideshow view. 53 00:04:57.590 --> 00:04:59.140 Adam Birchweaver: How do I do that. 54 00:04:59.140 --> 00:05:01.095 John Fagan: Just go. Just try that one from beginning. 55 00:05:01.340 --> 00:05:01.660 Adam Birchweaver: That. 56 00:05:01.660 --> 00:05:02.530 Andrew Maliphant: Soon, so. 57 00:05:02.530 --> 00:05:03.040 John Fagan: Perfect. 58 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:07.585 Adam Birchweaver: Better. Okay, thank you. Yeah. So in this picture, 59 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:17.060 Adam Birchweaver: there, that's that is a community energy project in Danbury. And and that's an organization called Sustainable Danbury. 60 00:05:17.740 --> 00:05:22.160 Adam Birchweaver: And we, you know, we we supported them to 61 00:05:22.440 --> 00:05:23.460 Adam Birchweaver: to 62 00:05:24.050 --> 00:05:27.720 Adam Birchweaver: to find some funding and to get some solar panels 63 00:05:28.208 --> 00:05:33.279 Adam Birchweaver: not just on the roof of of this outbuilding at a school, but several 64 00:05:33.420 --> 00:05:36.900 Adam Birchweaver: buildings and schools in and around Danbury. 65 00:05:37.272 --> 00:05:53.527 Adam Birchweaver: And this picture, just kind of, you know, illustrates how exciting that can be for for for students. It's a great educational tool. But it's also just a great initiative to get people on board and and sort of proud of of things that are going on in their communities. 66 00:05:55.470 --> 00:05:59.599 Adam Birchweaver: I'm gonna just kind of skip through some of these. But basically, this is just to say that 67 00:05:59.670 --> 00:06:05.560 Adam Birchweaver: people are worried about climate change. People want to do something about it, especially here in Essex 68 00:06:06.820 --> 00:06:07.815 Adam Birchweaver: and 69 00:06:09.070 --> 00:06:15.095 Adam Birchweaver: yes, 6 County Council is doing quite a lot of different stuff with regards to climate change. 70 00:06:15.900 --> 00:06:19.722 Adam Birchweaver: and that's all outlined in our in our climate action plan. 71 00:06:22.212 --> 00:06:32.557 Adam Birchweaver: But yeah, I mean, I I'm I'm assuming that a lot of people here already know what community energy is. But essentially, it's it's it's it's like taking back control of of where energy is coming from. 72 00:06:33.269 --> 00:06:48.090 Adam Birchweaver: And and it's it's it's not just the generation of energy which is often the case. It, you know. Oftentimes people think community energy projects or solar solar projects that are owned by the communities, but it it can also take the form 73 00:06:48.467 --> 00:06:57.642 Adam Birchweaver: of different things like you know the reduction of of energy. In the 1st place. So we do have some groups that almost solely focus on 74 00:06:58.823 --> 00:06:59.869 Adam Birchweaver: you know. 75 00:06:59.900 --> 00:07:05.450 Adam Birchweaver: energy mid energy use mitigate reduction, I guess. 76 00:07:06.512 --> 00:07:15.538 Adam Birchweaver: And and sort of educating people in their communities to on. How like giving them tips and tricks and and and ideas on how how they can do that. 77 00:07:16.356 --> 00:07:29.170 Adam Birchweaver: And then there's there's other things like you know, electric car clubs. There are initiatives that where some of these these groups go into schools and and and talk to students as well. 78 00:07:31.570 --> 00:07:54.069 Adam Birchweaver: So we have been working with an organization called community Energy South. I'm sure some of you have heard of them. But they've they've kind of helped us get sort of the model going in terms of of how we, how we work with these groups. So it's it's kind of like A, it's called the Pathways program. It's kind of like a mentorship 79 00:07:54.443 --> 00:08:05.640 Adam Birchweaver: and support group. It's it's now sort of morphed into a community of practice where we meet every 6 weeks. With all of the community energy groups. 80 00:08:06.212 --> 00:08:13.140 Adam Birchweaver: and and sort of kick around ideas, lessons learned much like what we're doing here today. 81 00:08:13.924 --> 00:08:16.109 Adam Birchweaver: Except, it's it's people in Essex 82 00:08:16.470 --> 00:08:26.750 Adam Birchweaver: who are representatives of their community energy projects. And it's like, Oh, I got funding from this. All right, we're we're we're finally going ahead with this project that we've been, you know. 83 00:08:26.840 --> 00:08:32.589 Adam Birchweaver: in in planning for for a little while. Now we're doing it. And so it's a great way to sort of 84 00:08:33.147 --> 00:08:38.710 Adam Birchweaver: keep the momentum going. Keep people interested and excited about the projects, and also 85 00:08:39.180 --> 00:08:43.869 Adam Birchweaver: bring other people in to sort of show. Show them like this is, this is what's going on. 86 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:56.367 Adam Birchweaver: And another thing that that we're doing and want to do more of. And and I've met with Jules recently about. This is is community led energy planning? 87 00:08:57.527 --> 00:09:10.409 Adam Birchweaver: And so my hope is and Andrew, I think you just saw an email that I sent this morning is to work more with the the great collaboration and the the community climate action 88 00:09:11.115 --> 00:09:18.550 Adam Birchweaver: to to do real sort of locally based community and community led energy plans. 89 00:09:33.145 --> 00:09:40.274 Adam Birchweaver: You know, we wanna get community own solar arrays when when whatever any kind of renewable energy we can. 90 00:09:41.402 --> 00:09:42.940 Adam Birchweaver: We want to 91 00:09:43.749 --> 00:09:51.539 Adam Birchweaver: power down. We want to, you know, educate. We want to get people making their homes more energy efficient. 92 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:54.144 Adam Birchweaver: And we want to. 93 00:09:54.590 --> 00:10:01.439 Adam Birchweaver: We want to do it bottom up. We don't want to just dictate which communities get what or how 94 00:10:01.450 --> 00:10:05.330 Adam Birchweaver: we want communities to to sort of determine 95 00:10:05.380 --> 00:10:09.320 Adam Birchweaver: what or how themselves. And then we want to sort of 96 00:10:09.770 --> 00:10:11.440 Adam Birchweaver: listen to that, and then 97 00:10:11.550 --> 00:10:16.189 Adam Birchweaver: and then work with them and make that happen in the way in shape that they want. 98 00:10:17.990 --> 00:10:29.969 Adam Birchweaver: So so yeah, just to kind of run through a few case studies of what's going on around Essex. Tollsbury. Climate partnership is very successful community energy group 99 00:10:43.530 --> 00:10:46.130 Adam Birchweaver: through a community share, which is basically just like 100 00:10:46.835 --> 00:10:59.179 Adam Birchweaver: going around the community asking for people to invest in in in this energy project. And and this particular one was to to completely decarbonize the school in their community. 101 00:10:59.710 --> 00:11:04.860 Adam Birchweaver: and you can invest like 5 pounds. You can. You can invest 10,000 pounds 102 00:11:05.230 --> 00:11:15.459 Adam Birchweaver: and and then there is a there is a return on investment on that so not only do you get to invest in your own community, you can actually make money. 103 00:11:15.760 --> 00:11:17.791 Adam Birchweaver: and by doing that as well, 104 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:28.529 Adam Birchweaver: And I think the the rate of the the rate of return was like you'd get your money back in 10, and then the 5 years after that you get this sort of surplus 105 00:11:29.325 --> 00:11:42.439 Adam Birchweaver: and then it's sort of cut off from there you get like you get a certain return. It's it's not so bad. It's not. It's not like you're winning the lottery, either, but it's it's more about sort of the concept of supporting your your neighborhood. 106 00:11:43.050 --> 00:11:55.919 Adam Birchweaver: But yeah, that's that's a big one. So they're like, basically not fully decarbonized. But 92 production, 92 reduction in Co. 2 at this school. And and you know, these old schools 107 00:11:57.110 --> 00:12:02.409 Adam Birchweaver: really, can be like, you know, heavy emitters of of Co. 2, 108 00:12:02.829 --> 00:12:11.529 Adam Birchweaver: so when you can get them off of oil, or whatever the heating source they have. And and and in this case it's a ground source. Heat pump. 109 00:12:12.318 --> 00:12:16.860 Adam Birchweaver: then, that greatly reduces their their annual, their their monthly annual bills. 110 00:12:18.850 --> 00:12:31.430 Adam Birchweaver: and yeah. So the hope is with Essex County Council, and and I'm sure, like some of you mentioned. You're you're in councils as well is to decarbon, like the long term plan, is to decarbonize 111 00:12:32.030 --> 00:12:35.440 Adam Birchweaver: all of the schools that are are within sort of Ecc 112 00:12:35.460 --> 00:12:37.619 Adam Birchweaver: is estate. 113 00:12:38.910 --> 00:12:45.709 Adam Birchweaver: It's not gonna happen overnight, though. And it is expensive upfront, obviously. But it is. It is one of our goals 114 00:12:47.472 --> 00:12:53.008 Adam Birchweaver: and powering down community energy. Colchester is a fantastic example of this. 115 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:57.900 Adam Birchweaver: They have been offering energy advice to homes 116 00:12:58.420 --> 00:13:05.430 Adam Birchweaver: in and around Colchester. They have, you know, gone into schools. And they. 117 00:13:05.670 --> 00:13:14.257 Adam Birchweaver: they've, you know, installed. There's like, not super expensive fixes, but real basic things like radiator reflectors. 118 00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:22.480 Adam Birchweaver: or even just like showing people how to put cocking like in their windows if they've got leaky windows. 119 00:13:23.741 --> 00:13:31.519 Adam Birchweaver: So that's that's something we wanted to see more of and and also, there's a lot of stuff going up near Saffron Walden 120 00:13:32.270 --> 00:13:34.120 Adam Birchweaver: autos for district. 121 00:13:34.900 --> 00:13:39.409 Adam Birchweaver: There's been kind of an explosion of community energy groups in the area where 122 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:43.519 Adam Birchweaver: there's like become. There's like 6 or 7 now. 123 00:13:45.380 --> 00:13:50.209 Adam Birchweaver: And it's really exciting to see. And it all all kind of was inspired by 124 00:13:50.975 --> 00:13:57.905 Adam Birchweaver: Saffron Walden and doing these, these fun and engaging community like community events. 125 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:18.350 Adam Birchweaver: and and just as an example of one thing that they do to make make it kind of engaging is they? They would have this, this, this stall where they have like a thermal imaging camera. And you can actually kind of look around and and see where the hotspots are and the cold spots are. So it's it's just kinda gets that gets people thinking about it a little bit. 126 00:14:18.880 --> 00:14:31.031 Adam Birchweaver: So I know some of you aren't from Essex, but there is a lot of stuff going on like I mentioned. There's about 21 different groups a varying size. 127 00:14:32.226 --> 00:14:32.963 Adam Birchweaver: And 128 00:14:33.770 --> 00:14:36.340 Adam Birchweaver: and yeah, so we're working with all of them 129 00:14:37.022 --> 00:14:41.347 Adam Birchweaver: and supporting them and and linking them up and facilitating 130 00:14:42.010 --> 00:14:44.329 Adam Birchweaver: them with, you know, partners and 131 00:14:44.670 --> 00:14:50.540 Adam Birchweaver: and and other opportunities. And I kind of mentioned community led entry planning something we haven't done 132 00:14:51.386 --> 00:15:00.573 Adam Birchweaver: a ton of. But we want to do a lot more of. And I'm hoping we can collaborate with with great collaboration in order to do that. 133 00:15:01.450 --> 00:15:08.600 Adam Birchweaver: So yeah, so there's a lot of different stuff going on. But we want to sort of broaden our scope. Because, yes, we've been working with community energy groups. 134 00:15:09.585 --> 00:15:11.540 Adam Birchweaver: We've been working with parish councils. 135 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:19.910 Adam Birchweaver: But we also want to start working. And and we have recently started working with like anch anchor groups like the Nhs. 136 00:15:21.290 --> 00:15:33.419 Adam Birchweaver: had a really positive meeting with like Eco churches recently. So churches in the area. The diocese like, why not? Why not get like? Get those churches super energy efficient. 137 00:15:33.890 --> 00:15:40.722 Adam Birchweaver: And if we can get around the sort of planning issues around getting solars on solar on the roof, let's do that. 138 00:15:41.447 --> 00:15:52.169 Adam Birchweaver: Let's talk to. Let's talk to farmers. Let's talk to the commercial sector. Let's get like solar arrays more solar arrays on you know, industrial estates. 139 00:15:52.310 --> 00:15:57.747 Adam Birchweaver: and then all of the surplus energy that isn't being used. Let's feed that into the local communities. 140 00:15:58.930 --> 00:16:09.499 Adam Birchweaver: Yeah. And we want to make these community energy groups more self sustaining. There's there's there's a really good example. I'm sure some of you have heard of of Vesco 141 00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:12.299 Adam Birchweaver: Cbs, which is in Lewis. 142 00:16:13.226 --> 00:16:14.490 Adam Birchweaver: Down in the South. 143 00:16:15.450 --> 00:16:15.850 Delia Yapp: And. 144 00:16:15.850 --> 00:16:28.410 Adam Birchweaver: And they are. They're like, I don't know. I think they have. Like 20 paid employees. They're doing all kinds of great stuff in their area. They're making money off of their their, their energy. Production. 145 00:16:29.040 --> 00:16:31.350 Adam Birchweaver: which helps to sustain their their projects. 146 00:16:31.722 --> 00:16:36.079 Adam Birchweaver: And it's really inspiring. So we want to get all of our groups to that level. 147 00:16:37.520 --> 00:16:39.210 Adam Birchweaver: And 148 00:16:39.220 --> 00:16:43.250 Adam Birchweaver: and because there's so many different groups now popping up, we need to sort of 149 00:16:43.350 --> 00:16:46.210 Adam Birchweaver: now do it like district by district. 150 00:16:46.440 --> 00:16:50.500 Adam Birchweaver: and then continue having those communities of practice at a district level 151 00:16:50.874 --> 00:16:55.699 Adam Birchweaver: and kind of keeping that that community practice going in each of those districts. 152 00:16:57.470 --> 00:17:03.324 Adam Birchweaver: and then the last last thing, not last, but not least, is we're we're training up 153 00:17:03.920 --> 00:17:06.760 Adam Birchweaver: upwards of 25 energy champions 154 00:17:07.784 --> 00:17:14.839 Adam Birchweaver: to that will be going out into communities across Essex to offer, you know, energy savings advice. 155 00:17:15.811 --> 00:17:20.448 Adam Birchweaver: We've got energy hubs now, in a couple of different districts like in tendering. 156 00:17:22.210 --> 00:17:30.380 Adam Birchweaver: so there's a lot going on, basically and it's really exciting. And I think that community energy is 157 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:33.160 Adam Birchweaver: definitely the way forward. 158 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:35.700 Adam Birchweaver: any questions. 159 00:17:36.800 --> 00:17:50.739 Andrew Maliphant: Very thanks, Adam. Yeah, that's always a joy to have enthusiasm coming across the airways, because, it's it's pouring out of you. And it's great to hear what things that are going on. Stuart. You've got your hand up after Stuart. It'll be Wendy and Amanda Stewart. 160 00:17:52.210 --> 00:17:58.969 Stuart Withington: Thank you. I I was just wondering, how this relates to the local Electricity Bill 161 00:17:59.270 --> 00:18:01.530 Stuart Withington: and what what's happened to that bill. 162 00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:06.839 Adam Birchweaver: Yeah. So actually, I went to a a thing of Parliament back in February. 163 00:18:07.816 --> 00:18:15.089 Adam Birchweaver: And yeah, there was a it, was it basically it. Long story short, it's been shelved until after the general election. 164 00:18:16.093 --> 00:18:22.920 Adam Birchweaver: But that will be a game changer. That will make it. That will make it a lot more feasible for people to get solar and then to sell 165 00:18:23.040 --> 00:18:25.239 Adam Birchweaver: their other energy back 166 00:18:25.270 --> 00:18:27.119 Adam Birchweaver: and to the grid. So 167 00:18:27.330 --> 00:18:30.189 Adam Birchweaver: it's it's been on hold for like 168 00:18:30.250 --> 00:18:33.030 Adam Birchweaver: a year or 2 it's been because 169 00:18:33.090 --> 00:18:44.420 Adam Birchweaver: well, I don't know if the the current government really wanted to to even look at it. But I think it's been shelved and and and it's gonna be sort of reopened 170 00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:47.660 Adam Birchweaver: and hopefully passed very swiftly 171 00:18:48.340 --> 00:18:49.780 Adam Birchweaver: in the new government. 172 00:18:49.890 --> 00:18:50.380 Adam Birchweaver: Yeah. 173 00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:59.290 Andrew Maliphant: Jules and I are also at that event. I mean, it's about allowing people to sell energy directly rather than having to go through some medium through the national grid. 174 00:18:59.963 --> 00:19:10.239 Andrew Maliphant: The government we're stalling on having a consultation about it. There is now, I believe, until the later this month. There's a live consultation on barriers to community energy. 175 00:19:10.565 --> 00:19:25.410 Andrew Maliphant: Now, whether how, how, which government is gonna pick up the results of that consultation I don't know. As far as I'm aware, you can still make some comments in as it's an online thing. If we like, I'll I'll try and dig out the the link to that if I put it in the chat. 176 00:19:26.591 --> 00:19:29.169 Andrew Maliphant: Wendy, thank you for that. 177 00:19:29.310 --> 00:19:30.389 Andrew Maliphant: Stuart Wendy. 178 00:19:31.090 --> 00:19:31.930 wendy thomson: Yep. 179 00:19:32.060 --> 00:19:42.579 wendy thomson: I'm interested in. Have you come across any pockets of resistance to what you're what you're trying to achieve? And if so, how have you overcome them? 180 00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:46.156 Adam Birchweaver: And pockets of resistance. 181 00:19:47.560 --> 00:19:51.667 Adam Birchweaver: no, not really, not not a whole lot to be honest, because 182 00:19:53.521 --> 00:20:04.138 Adam Birchweaver: it's it's it's well, it's kind of different in this. I mean, if it's if it's a big solar array in a farm, there's always going to be some resistance to that right? 183 00:20:05.786 --> 00:20:12.149 Adam Birchweaver: and especially if it's not like owned by the community. You know, it's like, if all the benefits are kind of going elsewhere. 184 00:20:12.380 --> 00:20:16.710 Adam Birchweaver: then it's hard. It's it can be kind of. There's going to be more resistance. But 185 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:23.340 Adam Birchweaver: You know we haven't for us, anyway. At this point we haven't done any like huge 186 00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:27.780 Adam Birchweaver: solar ground ground mounted like solar arrays. 187 00:20:28.702 --> 00:20:35.579 Adam Birchweaver: Yet. But I think that if we did, and we sort of worked with the community ground up. 188 00:20:36.020 --> 00:20:43.100 Adam Birchweaver: and we emphasize that this is going to be benefiting the community directly, because they could be owners of it. 189 00:20:43.950 --> 00:20:48.240 Adam Birchweaver: And and the whole idea of community energy is that it would be sort of 190 00:20:48.470 --> 00:20:51.249 Adam Birchweaver: benefiting the local community. 191 00:20:51.340 --> 00:20:56.179 Adam Birchweaver: It doesn't seem to me like there would be as much the the there has been some. 192 00:20:56.560 --> 00:21:02.830 Adam Birchweaver: It's I. I go to a lot of like community meetings and stuff, and and I have had some people say, like, Well. 193 00:21:02.930 --> 00:21:07.579 Adam Birchweaver: why do I pay taxes for an energy and low carbon team, you know, like 194 00:21:07.620 --> 00:21:11.717 Adam Birchweaver: I want them to fill my potholes. I don't need. I don't need people. 195 00:21:12.708 --> 00:21:23.881 Adam Birchweaver: you know. So that's the only sort of resistance I think we've had. But it's like, well, you know, like 86% of people are concerned about climate change. And you know we 196 00:21:24.260 --> 00:21:30.699 Adam Birchweaver: we we want to to do it what we can at at the local government level. So it's important that we do have 197 00:21:30.750 --> 00:21:33.849 Adam Birchweaver: teams like ours. So I don't know. There hasn't been a lot. 198 00:21:33.850 --> 00:21:40.660 wendy thomson: Just confirm then, so you would say, the best route is as much consultation and discussions with 199 00:21:40.690 --> 00:21:42.850 wendy thomson: the public as much as possible to. 200 00:21:42.850 --> 00:21:43.270 Adam Birchweaver: Yeah. 201 00:21:43.270 --> 00:21:44.559 wendy thomson: Get them on board. Yeah, yeah. 202 00:21:44.560 --> 00:21:50.049 Adam Birchweaver: Yeah, it's it's yeah. And that's kind of like, I I don't know if that's like a new thing. But 203 00:21:50.799 --> 00:22:00.350 Adam Birchweaver: it's it's like the approach that local government should and have to be taking. It's it has to stop being top down, because that always is met with backlash 204 00:22:01.406 --> 00:22:07.830 Adam Birchweaver: it has to be led with with the community. And I. And I think that that is got to be the way for going forward. 205 00:22:07.950 --> 00:22:08.770 Adam Birchweaver: Yeah. 206 00:22:08.770 --> 00:22:09.656 wendy thomson: Thank you. 207 00:22:10.100 --> 00:22:12.729 Andrew Maliphant: Well said, thank you. Amanda. 208 00:22:13.800 --> 00:22:17.170 Amanda Davis: Hello! There! I'm gonna try and do this without coughing if I can. 209 00:22:17.650 --> 00:22:20.219 Amanda Davis: I don't thank you for your talk. It's really 210

Banter 22: Energy and Low Carbon activities, 05Jun24, Adam Birchweaver

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