Banter 29: Younity and Community Energy, 24Jul24, Michaela Cryar

Michaela shows us how Younity exists to energise community energy by connecting groups to the energy market, volunteers and funding

PreviousBanter 28: Funding our Future, 17Jul24, Joolz Thompson NextBanter 30: Programme Review, 31Jul24, Andrew Maliphant

Last updated 4 months ago

25 00:26:00.710 --> 00:26:01.483 Andrew Maliphant: Welcome, Andrew. 26 00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:05.249 Andrew Broadbent: Hi, there! Can you hear me? Okay. 27 00:26:05.410 --> 00:26:06.540 Andrew Maliphant: Yes, yes. 28 00:26:07.350 --> 00:26:09.652 Andrew Maliphant: just waiting for our speaker to join us. 29 00:26:11.020 --> 00:26:11.766 Andrew Maliphant: She is, 30 00:26:15.170 --> 00:26:17.640 Andrew Maliphant: send it the link yesterday and send it again. 31 00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:40.570 Andrew Maliphant: Hi! Good morning, everybody. We're just waiting for our speaker to join us. 32 00:27:40.670 --> 00:27:41.970 Andrew Maliphant: No, here she comes! 33 00:27:50.910 --> 00:27:52.840 Andrew Maliphant: Hi, Mika! Very welcome. 34 00:27:53.130 --> 00:27:54.953 Michaela Cryar: Hi! How are you? 35 00:27:55.620 --> 00:27:57.572 Andrew Maliphant: So far so good. 36 00:27:58.630 --> 00:28:04.070 Andrew Maliphant: That seems to be my standard answer these days. I don't know what your life is like. My impression is that 37 00:28:04.230 --> 00:28:16.990 Andrew Maliphant: all of us involved in climate change, different ways. The other are are up to here with things that we're doing, and more things that people want us to do so. I think we're all in the same boat on this one, I see nods around the room. Yes, indeed. 38 00:28:17.843 --> 00:28:28.910 Andrew Maliphant: I'm hoping we've I know you'll have a very attentive audience today. It may be that our the holiday time may have diminished our attendance, but we will wait. We will see. We'll give a couple more minutes to 39 00:28:29.010 --> 00:28:30.726 Andrew Maliphant: join in. I mean, it's 40 00:28:31.140 --> 00:28:33.510 Andrew Maliphant: I'm all from Essex going in and so forth. 41 00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:39.280 Andrew Maliphant: I believe you'll be able to share your do you? Would you have a presentation, Nicole? I believe you'd be able. 42 00:28:39.530 --> 00:28:41.419 Michaela Cryar: Yeah, so yeah, I'll share my screen. 43 00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:44.760 Andrew Maliphant: If I, if I give you a brief introduction from your website, shall I? And then. 44 00:28:44.760 --> 00:28:46.210 Michaela Cryar: Yeah, of course, that'd be great. 45 00:28:46.210 --> 00:28:50.009 Andrew Maliphant: Then. we will. We can take it from there. 46 00:28:50.410 --> 00:28:51.320 Andrew Maliphant: And 47 00:28:52.730 --> 00:28:53.660 Andrew Maliphant: I'd 48 00:28:55.250 --> 00:28:56.350 Andrew Maliphant: 9 k 49 00:29:11.630 --> 00:29:13.120 Andrew Maliphant: a couple more minutes 50 00:29:15.040 --> 00:29:26.830 Andrew Maliphant: when I 1st started doing presentations online. I I waited too long for one particular to start one particular session, then, of course, realized that some people had actually timed their 51 00:29:27.300 --> 00:29:33.847 Andrew Maliphant: their diaries to the hour and it was no point starting 10 min late, because they'd they'd miss the last 10 min. 52 00:29:34.120 --> 00:29:34.640 Michaela Cryar: Yeah. 53 00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:37.040 Andrew Maliphant: So. We know where we are. 54 00:29:37.090 --> 00:29:43.330 Andrew Maliphant: the other. The other. The other theory I have is that once you start up, start a meeting the latecomers arrive. So there we are. 55 00:29:43.905 --> 00:29:45.030 Andrew Maliphant: There we go. 56 00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:46.260 Andrew Maliphant: Okay. 57 00:29:46.840 --> 00:29:50.030 Andrew Maliphant: Oh, yes, oh, they're all logic there. They must have heard me 58 00:29:50.150 --> 00:29:51.140 Andrew Maliphant: there. 59 00:29:53.110 --> 00:29:54.100 Andrew Maliphant: Oh, yes. 60 00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:55.650 Andrew Maliphant: and rushing in. 61 00:29:59.250 --> 00:30:00.529 Andrew Maliphant: Hi! Amanda! 62 00:30:00.530 --> 00:30:02.410 Amanda Davis: Hello! Hi! Karen! 63 00:30:02.970 --> 00:30:03.929 Michaela Cryar: My birth, now. 64 00:30:03.930 --> 00:30:06.549 Andrew Maliphant: Hi, John! Hi! Gary! How are everybody? 65 00:30:08.910 --> 00:30:11.100 Andrew Maliphant: Okie Dokey? Right. 66 00:30:12.263 --> 00:30:16.509 Amanda Davis: Andrew, just for information. I did have to come in using the 31st again. 67 00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:42.660 Andrew Maliphant: Yes, I had to look at the the login thing. I managed to get into Graham's zoom account with a bit of help from him, just some help from him. And I couldn't readily see what the issue is, and I was we're wary of doing something which was in migrants will actually cancel the whole deal. So we, at least it is working, and we will, we will fine tune it on his return. So there we go. 68 00:30:43.010 --> 00:30:50.600 Andrew Maliphant: welcome, everybody. Just to this session we we do record these sessions. So what we usually say is that if you 69 00:30:50.937 --> 00:31:01.052 Andrew Maliphant: then the recordings put on Youtube. If you if you don't want your front room to be shown on on national media, please feel able to close the off your video. 70 00:31:01.350 --> 00:31:22.130 Andrew Maliphant: I'm going to introduce to our speakers today as Mikaela Kryer. Mchryla is the director of Unity. Unity is born from a partnership between your crop, energy and octopus energy, and is very much about seeking to make community energy to its rightful place at the heart of sustainable power 71 00:31:22.290 --> 00:31:27.280 Andrew Maliphant: supporting other countries, community energy projects in lots of different ways. 72 00:31:27.688 --> 00:31:37.210 Andrew Maliphant: I won't say any more about that, because I'm sure you and Mikaela will be able to describe it and expand much better than I can. So, Mikaela, the floor is yours. 73 00:31:37.210 --> 00:31:42.099 Michaela Cryar: Thank you very much. Thank you for the lovely instruction. So I'll just share my screen. 74 00:31:42.600 --> 00:31:44.110 Michaela Cryar: Call that holiday 75 00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:45.630 Michaela Cryar: so hopefully 76 00:31:45.650 --> 00:31:47.349 Michaela Cryar: everyone could see my screen. 77 00:31:47.350 --> 00:31:47.840 Andrew Maliphant: Yep. 78 00:31:48.638 --> 00:32:13.309 Michaela Cryar: Thank you. Well, yeah, thank you so much for the invitation to join with you all today. Very much. Appreciate it and thank you for Amanda for facilitating and 1st creating the introduction. So for context as a Andrew mentioned. Yeah. My name is Michaela. I've worked at Unity for 3 years, and prior to that I spent my whole career in the energy sector the last 15 years on the consultant 79 00:32:13.310 --> 00:32:22.590 Michaela Cryar: side working for some energy and global majors as well. So I'm very fortunate to have found the wonderful world of community energy. So 80 00:32:22.590 --> 00:32:47.579 Michaela Cryar: unity is a joint venture. So it's half phone by octopus energy, and it's half by mid counties. Cooperative. Amanda is with the board members of mid counties cooperative. Hence, hence the link there. So we're very fortunate because we still get, you know, the very much the links into the cooperative world, the ethics and values of a cooperative and many community energy groups are no corpse community benefit societies, except 81 00:32:47.580 --> 00:32:53.779 Michaela Cryar: so it's great to have that connection. And then, having the other partner. Octopus octopus, have just grown 82 00:32:54.419 --> 00:33:05.940 Michaela Cryar: by an insane amount, really, over the past 8 years. So it's great to be part of their growth, their tech, their voice. And to really kind of champion community within that. 83 00:33:06.290 --> 00:33:34.730 Michaela Cryar: So yeah, the partnership works very well. And we're also proud supporters of community England. We've been supportive of them for a number of years. So today, I'm just gonna talk through community energy, probably as if none of you have heard of it before. So apologies, if any things that you already know but I thought, be good to just start from, scratch a little bit about what we do, our hopes and aspirations. The presentation definitely will not last an hour, but be good to have some questions, thoughts, conversations, as well at the end. If that suits all. 84 00:33:35.831 --> 00:33:49.198 Michaela Cryar: So I'll just jump straight in. So community energy. For those that may or not know it's been a renewable energy asset is owned by community is owned by people in ideally, in the local area. 85 00:33:49.880 --> 00:34:13.349 Michaela Cryar: for the community. So it's it's typically a group of people may get together and say, Hang on! Why isn't that field got a wind turbine? Why isn't that rooftop got a solo array? And then, rather waiting for a private company or developer to do something. It's that taking local action. It's very empowering. You know, big groups people get together. They'll do the site surveys, and then, when it comes to actually financing 86 00:34:13.624 --> 00:34:31.739 Michaela Cryar: when you need to pay for your solar panels, when you need to pay for wind turbines, or whatever that group will do a community share, raise and lots of platforms and successes of of how groups have raised that finance. But typically, you know, in in the community, someone might invest 200 pounds. They'll get a return on investment, and how that community group 87 00:34:31.850 --> 00:34:39.639 Michaela Cryar: generates their revenue is the electricity that's generated from that renewable asset. Whether that's sold to the Grids. 88 00:34:40.060 --> 00:35:08.409 Michaela Cryar: That revenue will go back to the community energy group, any revenue that will need to go back to the investors as a return on investment, or crucially any surplus rather than again, it going to a private shareholder. It goes back to that community so that community energy group will have a board of directors. And they'll say, actually, in our area, we really want to focus on decarbonization. So that's where we're going to put the money, or we want to focus on climate education or our areas got high levels of fuel poverty or whatever. So it's a very. 89 00:35:08.410 --> 00:35:14.039 Michaela Cryar: you know, great on the ground grassroots action. And we've seen the success of 90 00:35:14.040 --> 00:35:39.159 Michaela Cryar: you know, we we work with many local community energy groups. But then on the flip side I don't know if many of you have seen like ripple energy ripple are, you know, a net, a nationwide kind of a community owned asset. It's not based on a locality, but they're doing community energy in a slightly different way and having great success. So it's great to see the varying scales. There's no part of fast forward how one group should do things. But 91 00:35:39.160 --> 00:36:04.310 Michaela Cryar: the area is always ideally get as much renewable generation as you can in that area that's owned by the people full of people. I'm going to share with you if it's okay, a quick one and a half minute. Video, Patagonia, they're the outdoor clothing brand. They're very ethical. They've sold their company to charitable trust. I'm sure many of you have heard of them. But they did a campaign a couple of years ago about community energy. So they did a wonderful 92 00:36:04.310 --> 00:36:19.469 Michaela Cryar: video. This is just a trailer. But I think it really kind of sets the tone of why community energy is so powerful. And if you do like the video, you can watch the full 40 min video on Youtube, if that's of interest. So please shout if you can't hear. But you can't say subtitles. 93 00:36:40.720 --> 00:36:42.230 Andrew Maliphant: I'm not hearing any sound. 94 00:36:45.755 --> 00:36:46.420 Michaela Cryar: Enough. 95 00:36:47.460 --> 00:36:49.000 Michaela Cryar: No, okay. 96 00:36:49.450 --> 00:36:54.005 Michaela Cryar: Videos are always a gamble. So I was just gonna skip. 97 00:36:54.520 --> 00:36:58.950 Michaela Cryar: But I'll send you the link after not sure that. Why, that hasn't worked. 98 00:36:59.330 --> 00:37:00.260 Andrew Maliphant: Many thanks. 99 00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:04.910 Michaela Cryar: Sorry this is gonna 100 00:37:07.430 --> 00:37:13.170 Michaela Cryar: there we go, perfect, right moving on. So just bit of context about who we are, our team. So 101 00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:22.579 Michaela Cryar: within the team itself within unity. You've got myself, and we've got Connie. Connie looks after the community groups, and this is ones that need contracts. So 102 00:37:22.580 --> 00:37:46.259 Michaela Cryar: I'll go into it in a second. But we buy the power that community energy groups generate. So Connie is the lead of that managing that portfolio. And Connie's also founded her own community group in her area called Croydon Community energy. Then we've got Amelia who manages kind of engagement, outreach with communities. We've got a volunteering platform which I'll talk about. So she leads on that. And she's a wonderful climate activist. And this is so much in a personal 103 00:37:46.260 --> 00:38:04.300 Michaela Cryar: personal capacity. It's very inspiring. And you and Corey is is very new to our team. He's come from the octopus side of things, and he's doing the tremendous job in on the social media trying to raise the profile of community energy and reach new audiences. But I thought it'd be helpful for context to share Unity's board of directors, so we report 104 00:38:04.300 --> 00:38:32.039 Michaela Cryar: every quarter into a board of directors. So on the mid counties side, we've got Pete Westall, who's on the exec board at mid counties. Cooperative. Lizzie used to work at Mcdonald's a number of years ago, but's got a lot of energy experience. So she decided to stay on the board, and we work very closely with sanctuary housing as well, which is great. But at Octopus I've got Theresa North Bond on the board she reports directly into Greg Jackson and CEO of the kind of generation side of things. 105 00:38:32.040 --> 00:38:34.699 Michaela Cryar: It's great to have this sort of level of kind of 106 00:38:34.810 --> 00:38:54.009 Michaela Cryar: people and visibility on what we're doing at community energy and what we're trying to drive forward. And Matt Benny is the global energy markets director octopus as well. So just to let you know the context of where we sit within the counties and octopus families, because there's many different kind of trading units, etc. So hopefully, that's helpful. 107 00:38:55.084 --> 00:39:08.040 Michaela Cryar: So I'm just gonna share a bit about what we do as a kind of our our bread and butter. So when we were established. Originally, given the connection with octopus etc, it was decided that how we could best support community energy groups would actually just be a route to market 108 00:39:08.110 --> 00:39:18.470 Michaela Cryar: because some of these groups really struggle to sell their energy, especially, you know, if it's a large ground Mount Solar, then you can have a lot of suppliers knocking on the door. Very happy to to buy that power. 109 00:39:18.590 --> 00:39:39.809 Michaela Cryar: If you're you've got a small amount of solo on a school roof, and you know you only export a little bit in the 6 week holiday. Then that's much harder to get an agreement, because the volumes are are very small. So with with unity what we offer, regardless of the size. If it's community owned, we will always buy the power that's generated 110 00:39:40.118 --> 00:40:03.100 Michaela Cryar: and that really helps with financial viability. And something that we are very passionate about. And we're also very transparent. So you know, a couple of years ago the market went crazy high. The energy crisis, which is bad, for you know, the average consumer and industry. But for renewable generation it was fantastic. So some of the community groups were able to get, you know, over 500 pound a megal hour, which was. 111 00:40:03.140 --> 00:40:25.399 Michaela Cryar: you know, absolutely wonderful. So when the market is volatile, we are able to support the community that we work with. So through the power purchase agreement, through buying the power we work with over 260 projects across the Uk, which equates to about a 3rd of the sector. So that means, you know, we get to listen to 112 00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:34.259 Michaela Cryar: groups at various stages of the life cycle of experience. Some have got just starting out, so we've got one project, some I've got 30 113 00:40:34.920 --> 00:41:02.219 Michaela Cryar: and so it's it creates a wonderful position for us to really hear what's going on, and see how we can help and drive change forward. So this map here is a map of some of the projects that we work with. So the the yellowy orange is solar, and, as you can see, there's a lot more in the south as as you would imagine. The blue squiggle that's hydro so again, obviously, Scotland Lake district. Wales has got a lot of hydro on there and then onshore wind. 114 00:41:02.531 --> 00:41:25.929 Michaela Cryar: It's scattered around the country, obviously quite a bit more in Scotland. But we're really hoping I don't know if you guys have. You probably have seen given your interest. But labor of just lifted the effective ban on shore wind. So that's very exciting for the community energy space. So over on this pie chart we've got, you know what it break the breakdown of our portfolio by generation. So 115 00:41:25.970 --> 00:41:42.999 Michaela Cryar: this isn't by capacity. So we've got. We've only got 26 bin projects. But if by volume the wind would be a much higher proportion, rooftop solar is 56%. But in terms of volume that is naturally very small because you want rooftop solid to be used on site 116 00:41:43.385 --> 00:41:59.590 Michaela Cryar: so the 26, you know, on site winds that we work on shore. Wind projects that we work with. You know, we haven't really seen any new ones coming to fruition so very excited for the sector to hopefully see some more onshore wind. And obviously there's a number of problems within 117 00:41:59.620 --> 00:42:05.940 Michaela Cryar: the Uk renewable sector like Grid, etc. But yeah, it feels like there's some change coming. So that's been a context of 118 00:42:06.150 --> 00:42:10.800 Michaela Cryar: the core activity of what we do and how we try and help the sector. 119 00:42:12.326 --> 00:42:29.543 Michaela Cryar: and again from from listening to to groups. And what the challenges. One big challenge that is is very prevalent across the sector is it's a volunteer led sector. It's 70% volunteer led. So as you can imagine, time and capacity is a real bottleneck 120 00:42:30.430 --> 00:42:42.139 Michaela Cryar: and the the challenge we see as well, you know, at Unity we do try and raise a profile of community energy. So we'll go to. We get speaker panels and events things like that. So people might say, Oh, brilliant! How do I get involved in community energy? 121 00:42:42.180 --> 00:42:47.230 Michaela Cryar: And you know you could then go and Google and find, and a nearby group. But that group. 122 00:42:47.600 --> 00:42:53.460 Michaela Cryar: you know, you might email them and never hear back, because they might have done a project 10 years ago, which is great, but they they may not have 123 00:42:53.660 --> 00:43:18.969 Michaela Cryar: any interest in expanding or doing new projects. So it's, how do we capture some of the interest to make sure that they can add value to the sector. And you know, if they're happy to email 1 5 miles down the road, it could be a very different story and groups that we've also spoken to us very much. Say we would love more resource, but we're worried about hand holding haven't got the time to do it. So we launched a platform called Community Energy Connect. And that's just a little snapshot of it on the laptop. 124 00:43:18.970 --> 00:43:26.040 Michaela Cryar: And the idea is, groups go on. And they say, we're looking for a bit of legal help, or we're looking for a bit of social media help. 125 00:43:26.476 --> 00:43:28.059 Michaela Cryar: And on the Flip side 126 00:43:28.090 --> 00:43:33.609 Michaela Cryar: volunteers. Professional people can go on and say, I've got 2 HA month, and this is my skill set. 127 00:43:34.310 --> 00:43:40.480 Michaela Cryar: and we're hoping that will capture the interests and and and utilize it. We're 128 00:43:40.560 --> 00:44:02.560 Michaela Cryar: we're in process of upgrading the platform because we did bit of a test phase. We've had close to 200 people sign up, which is great. But in the coming months our big focus is we've done it a little bit already, you know, many organizations, big big ones have got like volunteering days that can use volunteering hours. Some of these organizations are very interested in. Actually, could we use some of our staff and put 129 00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:26.280 Michaela Cryar: they're volunteering hours towards community energy. So we're doing quite a lot of lunch and learns at kind of some of the the big corporates that's gonna be a big focus, the the latter half of this year. So if anyone's interested in having a little look at, connect or joining it, whatever. If you go on our website, unity.coop slash, take action, you can have a little sign up and Browser, if that's of interest. 130 00:44:26.871 --> 00:44:29.679 Michaela Cryar: Other things that we do? Again 131 00:44:29.970 --> 00:44:40.070 Michaela Cryar: we try and say, Well, what are the challenges of sector, and how can we help? So one of the challenges that kept coming up was access to affordable finance. So share A's can take, you know. 132 00:44:40.860 --> 00:44:54.179 Michaela Cryar: typically kind of a few months. But at the moment we know, groups are struggling to do the share raises because of the Bank of England interest rates and people just wanna put it into savings account. So is a bit tougher out there raising raising 133 00:44:54.280 --> 00:45:15.159 Michaela Cryar: the the cash within the community. So we've got a short term loan facility. It's called our kick. Start loan and we typically lend out to groups to 6, 9 months. And the idea is when they need to start a project, they need to pay the deposits for solar panels, wind turbines, or whatever they can use this loan to get the project going, and then do the 134 00:45:15.730 --> 00:45:29.770 Michaela Cryar: the the share, raise at the same time. So the project doesn't store. So we've got yeah, 1.5 million available is a revolving funds. If one group took the 1.5 million. We need to wait for them to pay back, and but that 1.5 is very kindly come from 135 00:45:30.041 --> 00:45:55.309 Michaela Cryar: half of it's come from a county co-OP, and half of it has come from octopus. So last year we lent out a million pound Bristol energy co-OP. They installed the largest community rooftop solar array in the Uk. It was a 1 megawatt installation. So that really help that project move forward. So we've got a few applicants at the moment that we're viewing for this year. So hopefully. We'll have some. We'll be supporting some new projects. In the coming months, which will be able to share 136 00:45:56.582 --> 00:46:06.639 Michaela Cryar: and then with with community energy. Obviously, you know, renewable generation is one aspect. But the social impact side is really important and kind of, you know. 137 00:46:06.920 --> 00:46:15.159 Michaela Cryar: sends it apart from, you know, a private development. So since inception, we've launched some grant funding. So 138 00:46:15.620 --> 00:46:32.749 Michaela Cryar: our latest round of recipients. So we've we've distributed 65 k to over 20 groups. Since this ransom started. And it's really focused on how can we help groups. It's small amounts of cash, you know, supplier K, 3 k. Here and there. But it's to really help the groups with their kind of 139 00:46:32.780 --> 00:46:40.879 Michaela Cryar: the grassroots local impact. So this is our latest round. So we distributed this. I think actually. 140 00:46:40.880 --> 00:47:06.430 Michaela Cryar: this week, these are the winners. We had about 20 applicants. We've got an independent judging panel they look through. So just to give you a bit of flavor of what the groups do, and you know what they use the money for so North Kensington community energy they've done some really great workshops, educational ones called voyage to repower, and that's the idea is to help young people develop skills for for green jobs. And you know, a couple of K from us has really helped kind of, you know. 141 00:47:06.430 --> 00:47:28.130 Michaela Cryar: Get that off the ground. They are developing a share, a sharing shed. So you know, I guess with the environmental work that you guys are also interested in, you've probably seen a number of these things, but this is also what you know. Some of the community energy groups do. Energy garden is a fantastic community group in London. And they're really interesting because they 142 00:47:28.150 --> 00:47:46.912 Michaela Cryar: have worked closely with like transport for London. And they tried to put solar panels around some of the overground stations and some of the depots, and then they also try and transform some of the overground stations by creating an actual garden. They'll grow hops, and, you know, pro produce for the local area. And then I get lots of 143 00:47:47.529 --> 00:48:09.599 Michaela Cryar: younger people and on the ground kind of volunteers. So that's it's very impactful program. So they've got a wonderful youth training program. So the our grant is is contributed towards that. And last, for lastly, we've got Ali and they are delivering some workshops on some of the basic topics like digital literacy. Household repairs cause they work in some of the kind of 144 00:48:09.600 --> 00:48:21.249 Michaela Cryar: more and socially, economically deprived areas in Wales. So that's very positively received. So that's just a bit of flavor of some of the as well as the generation size and the social impact work. 145 00:48:21.538 --> 00:48:27.989 Michaela Cryar: And something. Actually, I should have mentioned slightly earlier. I need to add a slide on it. The the power that we buy 146 00:48:28.300 --> 00:48:56.790 Michaela Cryar: from these community energy groups. We do ring fence that energy and it is put into a community power tariff. So it's called your carp energy. And if a domestic customer wanted to go onto a tariff that's 100 backed by community own renewables, that's the only tariff in the UK. So that's called the Community Power Tariff. So originally the Parent Communities Fund was every person that signed up to that tariff. We put 10 pounds aside, and that contributed towards this grant funding. 147 00:48:56.930 --> 00:48:59.760 Michaela Cryar: So that's that's that's definitely worth noting. 148 00:49:04.400 --> 00:49:26.897 Michaela Cryar: So as mentioned, we really do try and look at. Okay, what are the challenges in sector? And how can we help? So on on this table here, we've got existing community energy group. So the challenges here. Capacity, assistance to recruit volunteers, early stage funding community, England, Scotland, and Wales. They they do a big state of the sector report that's actually just been released. Last week. 149 00:49:27.670 --> 00:49:53.090 Michaela Cryar: but from the from the previous one they created a bit of a pie chart. What are the real kind of challenges, blockers, community groups. So time and capacity volunteers, early stage funding. These were the key kind of blockers, and there were challenges that we were also seeing as well. So what we've tried to do is say, how can we help? What can we do so? Time and capacity volunteers? That's why we've launched connect early stage funding. You know. We've got our Grant facility better loan rates. We've got our Kickstar 150 00:49:53.393 --> 00:50:06.126 Michaela Cryar: fund and expert support and guidance models. That's where our power purchase agreements come in. But we thought, we, actually, this is this is great, and these are the challenges for an existing community energy group. But we've actually now, 151 00:50:06.540 --> 00:50:13.289 Michaela Cryar: decided on, there's another challenge that we need to really focus on. And it's actually the concept and vision. If you don't know community exists. 152 00:50:13.730 --> 00:50:29.179 Michaela Cryar: then that's the ultimate barrier, then, you know, and if it's not prevalent in your community, then the barriers of kind of funding, etc, are kind of not applicable. How can we help some of these areas actually don't have community energy and really need it? And I think 153 00:50:29.460 --> 00:50:51.350 Michaela Cryar: you labors. Local power plan. Community energy is heavily focused in that. And within that there's a lot of talk of great sums of of many been put towards community energy. Which is absolutely fantastic, commute music to our ears. That being said, there's areas within the Uk which have got very strong community presence, which is wonderful, like. 154 00:50:51.350 --> 00:51:20.039 Michaela Cryar: you know. As you'd imagine, Bristol, Brighton. London's got over 30 groups. So those groups have got the pipelines. They'll be able to kind of hopefully jump on that cash, take it, and and and really make great progress. Those areas that don't have community energy. The gap might widen. So we've kind of stepped in and said, actually, what what can we do? We certainly don't have all the answers, but you know, when we look at our map of of where groups are, there's a lot of prevalence. Within the kind of rural South which is brilliant. But when we look at 155 00:51:20.380 --> 00:51:39.420 Michaela Cryar: you know, big population areas like Birmingham, their surrounding conurbations of like Walsall, Wolverhampton. There's a couple of small groups, but there's not as much as there should be. And when you look at kind of the highest levels of fuel poverty, and we're looking at kind of the West Midlands. Birmingham's got the highest levels of fuel poverty in England. 156 00:51:39.540 --> 00:51:43.340 Michaela Cryar: and yet they haven't got the benefit of the social impact of community energy. 157 00:51:43.843 --> 00:51:49.000 Michaela Cryar: We know we're very aware community can't solve for field poverty. Of course, but 158 00:51:49.090 --> 00:52:10.139 Michaela Cryar: the amount, I think, in 2021 community energy groups provided grants up to like half a million towards fuel poverty. On a whole, so it can be tremendous. And another example is in London. You've got South, East, London community energy south. Say they've got 11 rooftop projects, but from from there on the ground. 159 00:52:10.417 --> 00:52:19.590 Michaela Cryar: Fuel, poverty, action going out to speak to people they've been able to speak to 4,000 people in that community. So it's a really good example of like, what can be done in an urban area? 160 00:52:20.735 --> 00:52:35.609 Michaela Cryar: And also we're looking at kind of how can we help in places like Birmingham and Wolverhampton? This kind of big cities is, you know, they've got a younger population, and we know Eco. Anxiety is on the rise. We know people need to feel a little bit disempowered. So community energies are great. 161 00:52:35.964 --> 00:52:57.280 Michaela Cryar: Way for people to kind of be empowered and take action. And also it's got, you know, greater levels of diversity. We want to make sure. You know, just transition. And everyone is included. So what we're looking to do. And this is just more for for information really is we're always looking at. How can we step in? So we look, we're gonna focus on Birmingham initially. 162 00:52:57.320 --> 00:53:04.229 Michaela Cryar: and we are, we are actively at the moment speaking with numerous corporates in the city to say, Have you got roof space? 163 00:53:05.260 --> 00:53:09.139 Michaela Cryar: This is what community energy is. This is why it's wonderful. This is why we believe in it. 164 00:53:09.210 --> 00:53:32.870 Michaela Cryar: Can we lease your reef space? Can we install solar on it for you as in unity. We'll do it all with the understanding that it will be sold into community ownership, and then we'll help facilitate the growth of a new community energy group, and then we'll help them with their share. Raise, and then they will buy that project offer. So we will absolutely we will not be making any profit off this. This will be to 165 00:53:33.060 --> 00:53:45.459 Michaela Cryar: hopefully kickstart community energy in in in a city. So we'll offer them like a turnkey project to say, you know, if you're a brand new group. 1st of all, it can take a very long time to establish find like mighty people. 166 00:53:45.460 --> 00:54:08.769 Michaela Cryar: then, you know, speak to corporates in your spare time, you know. It can take years. We're hoping we can kind of kick, start it, raise a profile. Do a bit of Pr get a bit of buzz about it in the city, and hopefully, then it will organically grow, and then maybe we can help another city if this works anything, if the con concept proves to be successful and productive. So that's bit of a flavor of some of the other things we're looking at. How else can we help 167 00:54:08.910 --> 00:54:15.917 Michaela Cryar: the sector? Within a fairly small team? So just a reminder, this is our community energy. 168 00:54:17.210 --> 00:54:28.289 Michaela Cryar: next. So I had Leah a mind blank. Then this is our community energy connect platform. So if you do want to have a look, and it's at unity. Take action. And these are my contact details. And our website, if 169 00:54:28.400 --> 00:54:30.090 Michaela Cryar: you want to learn more 170 00:54:30.270 --> 00:54:31.140 Michaela Cryar: soap 171 00:54:31.270 --> 00:54:33.741 Michaela Cryar: hopefully. That was helpful. 172 00:54:34.470 --> 00:54:58.599 Michaela Cryar: and be good to understand. And yes, anyone's got any questions. Thoughts. It does feel like a very exciting time with community energy, because the co-OP party in their manifesto, that of one of their 4 points is community energy. And we're actually sponsoring at the Labor Party Conference in September with Co-OP party. We're sponsoring a fringe event all about community energy to really hope to keep it in the kind of 173 00:54:58.710 --> 00:55:08.079 Michaela Cryar: in in the eye, and and and keep up that momentum with it. So it does feel like hopefully. It's an exciting time for the sector, so I'll just stop sharing my screen. 174 00:55:08.450 --> 00:55:10.229 Michaela Cryar: If that works 175 00:55:10.350 --> 00:55:11.500 Michaela Cryar: stop, share. 176 00:55:13.200 --> 00:55:30.179 Andrew Maliphant: Many, many, many thanks. Okay, that was amazing. I was so so fascinated by some one of this, the slides, I was trying to get a snapshot of it, but to fail to get my fingers working in time. If you're able to send us the presentation that we can share with it with the coin that would be brilliant. 177 00:55:30.180 --> 00:55:31.940 Michaela Cryar: Yes, absolutely. 178 00:55:31.940 --> 00:55:42.609 Andrew Maliphant: And and so many send me great things, and then not least about the your volunteering streaming, which I thought was a a brilliant idea, Karl, you have your hand up to make it to ask a question. Then it'd be Mike. 179 00:55:43.237 --> 00:55:46.812 Cara Naden: Thanks. Quite few. Thank you very much. Michaela. 180 00:55:47.735 --> 00:55:50.289 Cara Naden: Second time I've heard you speak. 181 00:55:50.420 --> 00:56:04.980 Cara Naden: which is great to hear what you're doing an influx of oxen energy, too, which is becoming quite a well known brand. I feel. So I have multiple hats. I actually am a director of community entity in Somerset 182 00:56:05.366 --> 00:56:13.283 Cara Naden: as well as being involved in council. So I've got a couple of questions, if you don't mind. I guess one was about 183 00:56:13.940 --> 00:56:17.980 Cara Naden: can councils, which is so cool. 184 00:56:18.030 --> 00:56:20.240 Cara Naden: Tara, through unity 185 00:56:20.440 --> 00:56:27.140 Cara Naden: because you mentioned individuals and householders. But I don't know if that also extends to kind of corporates. 186 00:56:27.650 --> 00:56:50.160 Michaela Cryar: Yeah. Good, good question. So with the power that we buy it equates to about the equivalent of 60,000 homes. So at the moment is the the way we have the setup. It is just for domestic consumers, because the volume isn't great enough to supply accounts. So with that being said, what we are seeing an emergence of especially the bigger projects 187 00:56:50.468 --> 00:57:16.339 Michaela Cryar: is is council entering into a corporate power purchase agreement. Very different various structures of that. But the community power tariff itself is exclusively for domestic customers. But there are ways, and we're seeing some councils. I think Plymouth is a wonderful example. I don't know if you've probably seen some there where Bristol Council is doing a hell of a lot. But it's more sometimes a specific project of a larger size of how you can connect it up. 188 00:57:17.180 --> 00:57:26.359 Cara Naden: Yeah. Cause I was thinking, from talent, Parish Council point of view, they have very, most not all have very few assets to power. Some mainly have one building 189 00:57:26.784 --> 00:57:40.199 Cara Naden: or one community hall, for example. So it just seems that it's a missed opportunity for smaller councils not to be able to access local tax, because it's something that we're really trying to drive forward and part of our decarbonisation at 0 planning. 190 00:57:40.510 --> 00:57:41.280 Michaela Cryar: Yeah. Amp. 191 00:57:41.500 --> 00:57:49.160 Cara Naden: Particularly, we don't have funding necessarily to put on our own moves. It to me seems like a quite simple solution. If that could be 192 00:57:49.260 --> 00:57:56.300 Cara Naden: more broadly awful. Word more accessible for smaller demand, I guess, is the point. 193 00:57:56.300 --> 00:58:04.120 Michaela Cryar: Yes, and it's when we're looking at in the future. I guess it's probably something to add with councils and appreciate all councils vary in size, but councils typically 194 00:58:04.140 --> 00:58:12.909 Michaela Cryar: by their power as a huge kind of purchasing entity, and some of them collaborate with other councils. This famous one, called Laser in the South. 195 00:58:12.910 --> 00:58:14.250 Cara Naden: Yeah, so not. 196 00:58:14.280 --> 00:58:39.070 Cara Naden: I would disagree for town and Parish council. That generally doesn't happen. But I agree with you for kind of county or district scale. That's and we're I mean, for that scale, also tied into Ccs and stuff like that. But for town and parish councils in particular, they are quite small in many areas, and they aren't tied to to purchasing through those kind of mechanisms. So unity would be really great for them to access. If that could be made. 197 00:58:39.070 --> 00:58:46.650 Michaela Cryar: Yeah, I think it'd be given the size of them. Then it could be worth a conversation so happy to have. Yeah, an instruction or something that'd be really great. 198 00:58:47.410 --> 00:58:55.090 Cara Naden: And then, with my community energy, have to on so obviously, we've got installations on some schools, for example. So we sell 199 00:58:55.250 --> 00:58:57.249 Cara Naden: what what we generate to them directly. 200 00:58:57.940 --> 00:59:03.660 Cara Naden: and then any access goes to the grid. You're saying that we could sell that rather than to the grid 201 00:59:04.010 --> 00:59:05.430 Cara Naden: to unity. 202 00:59:05.910 --> 00:59:23.609 Michaela Cryar: Yes, when you, when you sell to the grid, you've got a couple of options, you can either do kind of like a small export guarantee, or you can enter into a power purchase agreement. So it depends. Quite often a power purchase agreement is more kind of economically favorable. So yeah, yeah, absolutely. We've got about 100 schools on our books that export 203 00:59:23.720 --> 00:59:26.430 Michaela Cryar: small amounts during the school holidays, etc. 204 00:59:26.430 --> 00:59:30.039 Cara Naden: And does that affect the feed in tariff? If they're tied into that. 205 00:59:30.040 --> 00:59:30.590 Michaela Cryar: Yeah, exactly. 206 00:59:30.590 --> 00:59:31.610 Cara Naden: You can't. 207 00:59:31.820 --> 00:59:32.290 Michaela Cryar: No. 208 00:59:32.290 --> 00:59:34.339 Cara Naden: Eden turf, and so. 209 00:59:34.340 --> 00:59:39.089 Michaela Cryar: No, you yeah, you can't do both. No, no, no, yes, if you yeah. And but. 210 00:59:39.090 --> 00:59:41.429 Cara Naden: Kind of a new ones going forward, then is. 211 00:59:41.430 --> 00:59:45.580 Michaela Cryar: New new ones going forward, but also at the moment. The market's higher than the feeding tariff. 212 00:59:45.680 --> 00:59:50.937 Michaela Cryar: So, and it's been higher than the food and carry for a number of years. And then. 213 00:59:51.230 --> 00:59:51.885 Cara Naden: Change. 214 00:59:52.540 --> 01:00:01.619 Michaela Cryar: Oh, yeah, I'm gonna yeah. And if it dips and you switch back onto the feed and tariff once you, you can go back onto the feed and tariff. It's it's not once you come off that you can't go back onto it. 215 01:00:01.890 --> 01:00:04.410 Michaela Cryar: It's once every kind of 12 months. 216 01:00:04.620 --> 01:00:13.288 Cara Naden: Is that true? I thought once you put in and got the fee and tab guarantee. Then you were tied into 25 years. 217 01:00:13.650 --> 01:00:19.830 Michaela Cryar: You've got the option to secure feeling sorry for 20 years, but you've got. We've we have many groups that will 218 01:00:20.000 --> 01:00:30.370 Michaela Cryar: that were on feeding tariffs switched to power purchase agreements, and then, earlier in the year, the feeding tariff was slightly higher, so they switched to feeding tariffs on that for 12 months, but then they've already secured. 219 01:00:30.710 --> 01:00:31.130 Cara Naden: Right. 220 01:00:31.130 --> 01:00:34.660 Michaela Cryar: A year after come off it. Yeah, very interesting. 221 01:00:36.010 --> 01:00:39.390 Cara Naden: Okay, I'll investigate that further, because it'd be really good for 222 01:00:39.710 --> 01:00:49.239 Cara Naden: cause community energy. Sorry. So Hi, Jack and I will let you speak. Mike is that there is without the feed and tariff. We now require to deliver quite large scale. 223 01:00:49.240 --> 01:00:49.680 Michaela Cryar: Yeah. 224 01:00:49.680 --> 01:00:54.850 Cara Naden: Projects in order to get enough still to return on investment. 225 01:00:55.445 --> 01:01:00.490 Cara Naden: Which makes it challenging now to go forward on smaller kind of school or community buildings. 226 01:01:00.959 --> 01:01:07.969 Cara Naden: And then I wonder if there's a way kind of grouping a number of installations through a Ppa 227 01:01:08.200 --> 01:01:13.219 Cara Naden: that would make it more financially viable. If we could then sell for your unity 228 01:01:13.390 --> 01:01:14.580 Cara Naden: their tariff. 229 01:01:14.580 --> 01:01:17.339 Michaela Cryar: Yeah, at the at the moment. The grouping doesn't doesn't 230 01:01:17.350 --> 01:01:30.354 Michaela Cryar: work so much, but I I think with it, with every school or any rooft asset. Really, if you can get on site usage to be on site consumption to be close to the 80% mark, and it becomes viable. But yes is is. It's hardest to do. 231 01:01:30.620 --> 01:01:32.329 Cara Naden: Challenging to get to that point. Yeah. 232 01:01:32.330 --> 01:01:39.421 Michaela Cryar: Yeah, exactly, but happy to have him a separate call with you, Kara, to talk through some of the detail of all this. 233 01:01:40.620 --> 01:01:41.980 Cara Naden: Won't she? Oh. 234 01:01:42.870 --> 01:01:51.095 Andrew Maliphant: Right. Thanks. Car. There's a john's put a question in the chat but to to look at, but for before then, Mike, your your question, my friend. 235 01:01:52.636 --> 01:02:01.179 Mike E - Hay Resilience: I I really just wanted to touch base with you. I'm I'm running the hey community resilience initiative, and it's a 3 236 01:02:01.300 --> 01:02:04.140 Mike E - Hay Resilience: pillar assembly driven 237 01:02:04.719 --> 01:02:10.429 Mike E - Hay Resilience: initiative, one of which addresses food and self-sufficiency and food 238 01:02:10.951 --> 01:02:27.580 Mike E - Hay Resilience: the middle pillar which holds it all together, is is a an initiative in order to prevent people having to use the Nhs as their mental wellbeing declines. Assuming things are gonna get worse. And we already have a problem anyway. Mental health. 239 01:02:27.580 --> 01:02:28.110 Michaela Cryar: Yes. 240 01:02:28.747 --> 01:02:39.270 Mike E - Hay Resilience: and the 3rd one is an energy company which we want to start up, and we want to generate the equivalent of the amount of energy that we that we actually use currently 241 01:02:40.720 --> 01:02:43.809 Mike E - Hay Resilience: and basically, I just wanted to say that that 242 01:02:43.900 --> 01:02:52.130 Mike E - Hay Resilience: that if if we can, if I can get in touch with you. We can get started because I haven't actually launched that pillar yet. 243 01:02:52.150 --> 01:02:54.679 Mike E - Hay Resilience: and it will be launched within us only 244 01:02:54.750 --> 01:03:01.480 Mike E - Hay Resilience: where we will have to give a certain amount of education to the participants. It will be a very facilitative process 245 01:03:01.814 --> 01:03:16.750 Mike E - Hay Resilience: for them to be able to make a decision about the way forward that they would like to go. And then we want to get started as soon as possible. We have organizations in Wales who are looking into or are actually involved in community energy. 246 01:03:17.520 --> 01:03:28.790 Mike E - Hay Resilience: They would be involved in advising us as well, particularly the Langatox Green Valley Organization. That that puts in local energy production 247 01:03:28.820 --> 01:03:31.060 Mike E - Hay Resilience: systems. But 248 01:03:31.070 --> 01:03:37.439 Mike E - Hay Resilience: what we're looking for, I think, I think you actually are going to be providing what we're looking for. So 249 01:03:37.814 --> 01:03:41.610 Mike E - Hay Resilience: Hi, and if you don't mind, I'll be in touch. 250 01:03:42.080 --> 01:03:55.650 Michaela Cryar: Yes, yeah, that'd be wonderful and great to see that it's 1 of your your pillars, and we are actually working on a bit of a roadmap as well to help when new people want to kind of set up a community integrate, what are the the kind of then? The next step. So yeah, be great to have 251 01:03:55.950 --> 01:03:57.439 Michaela Cryar: a conversation. 252 01:03:57.850 --> 01:03:59.912 Mike E - Hay Resilience: Okay. Fantastic. Thank you very much. 253 01:04:00.817 --> 01:04:11.479 Andrew Maliphant: Mike, there's so many great things happening today. I think we'll be in touch with you as well. See if you'd like to share that with our future banter sessions, because that would be great for us to to spread the news about what you do. Great stuff! 254 01:04:11.989 --> 01:04:14.941 Andrew Maliphant: I've got John's question in the chat. 255 01:04:15.720 --> 01:04:22.129 Andrew Maliphant: mikaya. So it says, what is your take on community resilience, for example, local power 256 01:04:22.440 --> 01:04:24.069 Andrew Maliphant: post it now come back. Up 257 01:04:24.900 --> 01:04:28.060 Andrew Maliphant: there we go, local power networks and battery storage. 258 01:04:28.140 --> 01:04:32.450 Andrew Maliphant: For example, community like us in the Forest of Dean, we do have outages. 259 01:04:32.450 --> 01:04:33.300 Michaela Cryar: Hang up. 260 01:04:33.610 --> 01:04:35.470 Andrew Maliphant: So that's this sort of question. 261 01:04:36.360 --> 01:04:39.520 Michaela Cryar: Yes, yeah. Good good question, I think, with 262 01:04:39.930 --> 01:04:53.190 Michaela Cryar: like, we seeing a bit of an increase of micro grids, etc, and Bristol energy Pop have done a great job of of working with a flexibility or organization that've done a bit of a micro grid. I think 263 01:04:53.630 --> 01:05:11.520 Michaela Cryar: I think it will be will be the future. I think battery storage is still hard economically to stack up in in some scenarios, so it isn't quite the kind of the golden goose at at the moment. But you know, as you know, no technologies advancing at the way of nots. John, you've got your hand up, is there? 264 01:05:14.320 --> 01:05:15.850 Michaela Cryar: Oh, I think you're on mute. Sorry. 265 01:05:15.850 --> 01:05:16.859 Andrew Maliphant: You're muted, John. 266 01:05:18.050 --> 01:05:19.380 Andrew Maliphant: John, you're on mute. 267 01:05:31.410 --> 01:05:33.480 Andrew Maliphant: Okay, he's he's working on it. 268 01:05:33.790 --> 01:05:34.939 John Payne: I am working. Got it now. 269 01:05:34.940 --> 01:05:35.450 Michaela Cryar: Oh, there you are! 270 01:05:35.450 --> 01:05:36.160 Andrew Maliphant: Yay! 271 01:05:36.160 --> 01:05:37.656 John Payne: Yeah, sorry about that. 272 01:05:38.350 --> 01:05:44.781 John Payne: yeah, yeah. I suppose that I'm I'm looking at the way that the tariffs work. I have octopus to 273 01:05:45.370 --> 01:05:47.769 John Payne: power on my my 274 01:05:48.530 --> 01:05:59.289 John Payne: electric vehicle at night, and it, it's it's about how you have solutions to to. You know, when you've got a village like we have about 500 people. 275 01:05:59.320 --> 01:06:01.939 John Payne: How? How are you going to actually 276 01:06:02.390 --> 01:06:03.250 John Payne: damn? 277 01:06:04.789 --> 01:06:17.679 John Payne: You know, sort of put in electric charges. For example. You know we had great problems that the village didn't have a good enough supply to to actually power all the cars if everybody converted to electric vehicles. 278 01:06:17.700 --> 01:06:18.345 John Payne: the 279 01:06:19.360 --> 01:06:23.129 John Payne: And that's why I'm came at sort of the solutions that you make 280 01:06:23.160 --> 01:06:32.070 John Payne: on a neighborhood basis. Really, you know, to help people out to store energy, and and to have the tariffs make electric vehicles attractive. 281 01:06:33.010 --> 01:06:46.780 Michaela Cryar: Yes, yes, I'm on one of the optus electric vehicle tariffs as well, and they are good at charging during the night. And when the electricity cheaper. But in terms of our involvement at Unity wouldn't be to roll out kind of an ev 282 01:06:47.040 --> 01:06:47.965 Michaela Cryar: charging 283 01:06:48.980 --> 01:06:59.059 Michaela Cryar: program. It's more if there's a community energy group that wants to install chargers in their local area, then we will try and facilitate and make connections and and and 284 01:06:59.580 --> 01:07:23.410 Michaela Cryar: focus on that. But our our role is certainly not to to roll out Ev charges and that sort of stuff. I mean, there's so much that needs to be done in the energy space. And there's so many different avenues. But because our focus is on supporting community energy groups. If if you know, 20 community energy groups were coming to us and saying, we need to install ev charges in our own. This is what our plans are, then that would probably be a real focus for us. But 285 01:07:23.652 --> 01:07:36.970 Michaela Cryar: we've only had a couple of groups that are looking to do that. And we we have tried to offer support. So there's also a balance of what what do the groups need from us? What are they asking for? Versus? What? What can we deliver cause? What we don't wanna do is kind of 286 01:07:36.970 --> 01:07:59.674 Michaela Cryar: tell community groups what they should be doing, or or shouldn't, or what their focus should be. But yeah, you you're right? We we need infrastructure change. And I think, with with villages. John, what's what we've seen that's been really interesting is villages that are based that have oil for heating. There's a famous one called Swatham Prior, that managed to get that village off oil 287 01:08:00.150 --> 01:08:11.110 Michaela Cryar: and they, you know, they're connected with the local Solar farm, etc. So that's a really great example of what can be done. And I think that's probably the the number. One challenge is getting some of these villages off of oil more than anything. 288 01:08:12.750 --> 01:08:14.640 John Payne: Thank you. Yes, that's great. Yeah. 289 01:08:15.120 --> 01:08:18.156 Andrew Maliphant: Thank you, Power. I think we wanted to add in something here. 290 01:08:18.399 --> 01:08:21.689 Cara Naden: Yeah, sorry. Thanks. It was 291 01:08:21.709 --> 01:08:36.793 Cara Naden: another 2 pointer. One was about engaging with other organizations that support community energy. So joining up networks like center sustainable energy which is now doing national support on in increasing energy efficiency and decarbonization with 292 01:08:37.229 --> 01:08:45.639 Cara Naden: they've got an amazing planning toolkit to engage communities and local town and parish council. So that's very much community led at that point. While. 293 01:08:46.189 --> 01:08:48.289 Cara Naden: Like something's just sort of being swooped into. 294 01:08:48.290 --> 01:08:48.889 Michaela Cryar: Take it from. 295 01:08:48.899 --> 01:08:52.919 Cara Naden: Of opportunities. So it's kind of making sure that we're all joining up. 296 01:08:52.920 --> 01:08:53.430 Michaela Cryar: Oops! 297 01:08:53.430 --> 01:09:00.420 Cara Naden: This, because it then goes on the back of the the previous John, speaking, saying about opportunities. 298 01:09:00.460 --> 01:09:06.430 Cara Naden: particularly in the South West. So you know, noted you're looking at areas that already don't have many community energies. But. 299 01:09:06.470 --> 01:09:13.769 Cara Naden: for example, southwest Somerset and around are really struggling to be able to deliver, so that we've got appetite and more community. 300 01:09:13.770 --> 01:09:14.100 Michaela Cryar: Yeah. 301 01:09:14.100 --> 01:09:19.949 Cara Naden: Starting to deliver renewable energy when it comes to the fact of being viable in terms of grid connection. If I. 302 01:09:19.950 --> 01:09:20.310 Michaela Cryar: In, the. 303 01:09:20.319 --> 01:09:22.249 Cara Naden: It's impossible. So again. 304 01:09:22.509 --> 01:09:32.398 Cara Naden: building unity into that network with others, to then be able to kind of lobby upwards, to re release and reduce some of those barriers would be really helpful.

Banter 29: Younity and Community Energy, 24Jul24, Michaela Cryar

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