Garve and District Community Energy Project – Phase 2 July 2016 Nick Chapman & Marion O’Hara Community Energy Scotland
Outline • About Community Energy Scotland • Project Overview • Project Elements – Community Energy Group – Home Energy – Hydro Scheme – Community Woodfuel • Conclusion and Next Steps • Learning Exchange to Ullapool Community Trust and Fintry Development Trust
Community Energy Scotland • National Independent Scottish Charity • Main office in Inverness , with staff based across Scotland, including Orkney and Western Isles. • 8 years old, previously part of Highlands and Islands Enterprise • Membership-based, with over 400 community energy members . Our mission: • Supported over 600 community “To build confidence, resilience and energy project wealth at a community level through sustainable energy development”
Project Overview The project is funded by Lochluichart Community Trust and delivered by Community Energy Scotland in partnership with members of local community. The project ran from October 2015 to July 2016, led back Nick Chapman and Marion O’Hara from Community Energy Scotland. Throughout the project our work has been directed by the Garve and District Community Energy steering group. The project seeks to lay the foundation for a community energy movement in the Garve and District area, by establishing a local community energy group and carrying out scoping studies into a number of different community energy opportunities. We have made sure that any proposals put forward are as equitable as possible, so that everyone in the community has equal opportunity to benefit from future LCT funding that supports community energy.
Project Elements 1. Set up a local community energy group 2. Assess the opportunities to improve home energy 3. Review the options to develop a community hydro scheme 4. Explore the opportunities to establish local community woodfuel projects
Setting up a community energy group • Set- up a new organisation called “ Garve and District Community Energy ” (GDCE), led by a local steering group: – John Fenwick (chair) – Sue Tarr – John Bedwell – Laura McWhinney • The group is not yet constituted since we are waiting for the outcome of the Community Needs Survey. A new Development Trust may be formed following this survey, which could take forward energy projects. • We believe that LCT funds (or other local funds) should be used to employ a local Development Officer who can help deliver development projects (including energy projects) and seek external funding.
New Organisation in Garve and District This rough diagram was produced during a GDCE steering group meeting and shows some of the new structures and organisations which could help deliver local projects
Home Energy All residents have been offered a free Home Energy Visit through ‘ Home Energy Scotland ’ to assess energy usage and identify suitable energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. • Two letters were sent directly to all households in December 2015 and February 2016 to publicise the Home Energy Visits • Two Open Energy Events held, in Garve Village Hall in January and Achnasheen Village Hall in March, attended by around 22 people. • Between January – June 2016 a total of 28 people signed up for a Home Energy Visit (24 completed so far). Home Energy Open event at Garve Village Hall
Home Energy Referrals and Advice • Home Energy Visits also assessed residents in terms of their eligibility for national and regional home energy programmes . • This resulted in the following referrals: – 1 Warmer Homes referral resulting in the installation of a new oil boiler – 1 referral to HEEPS-ABS for External/Solid Wall Insulation – 1 referral to Highland Council regional scheme for double-glazing – 1 referral to ECO for Cavity Wall Insulation with RDI Renewable Ltd – 1 referral for Home Renewable Loan for Biomass Boiler • We estimate that the total value of external funding received for these referrals will be in the order of £15,000 (not including biomass boiler which is supported by zero interest loan). • Home energy visits also provided advice on energy saving – “ It was great to meet you…there were a few surprises when you were telling me things I didn't know, such as my hot water tank insulation being insufficient…Added to this, the amount I spend on petrol and oil each year I now realise how much of my income is simply for fuel.” – Local Resident
Current Energy Usage Outcomes from the Home Energy Visits were shared with Community Energy Scotland to identify opportunities for a local home energy scheme that could be supported by wind farm income. Of those homes visited, results show that: • On average, homes in Garve and District use 24% more energy than the UK average • Most people heat their home using oil and electricity , which can be more expensive and polluting than renewables • 80% of homes have a log burning stove • We estimate that the whole community spends around £263,000 per year on energy and emits over 1000 tonnes of carbon. • At the moment nearly all of this money flows out of the community, but this could change if the community energy projects are developed...
Diversity in Energy Usage • The highest energy users in Garve and District use 7 time more energy than the lowest. This disparity is caused by differences in property size, energy efficiency, average inside temperature and occupancy • Some lower energy users are currently under-heating their homes due to the high cost of energy, poor insulation and inefficient heating system. This can have implications for both the health of the householder and the fabric of the property . Low energy consumers High energy consumers The assumption is that these homes may Some of these homes are likely to have poor likely be under-heated. Installing measures is energy efficiency levels. Installing measures therefore likely to improve warmth and is likely to reduce their energy bills and comfort levels within these household . carbon emissions within these households.
Impact of Biomass Boilers • Homes #7 and #17 are heated using biomass boilers. • Carbon emission can be reduced by around 80% • Biomass boilers and other renewable heating technologies can access the ‘Renewable Heat Incentive’ (RHI) subsidy, which makes this technology cheaper than oil and traditional electric heating.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Opportunities • Across the whole community, we Cavity wall insulation estimate that around 900 energy Storage heaters efficiency and renewable energy Wood stove improvements could be made to Insulated doors homes Air source heat pumps Waste water heat recovery • Most common measures include: Hot water cylinder insulation – Floor insulation Biomass boiler boilers – Solid wall insulation Roof insulation – Low energy lighting Draught proofing – Double glazing Solar PV • Loft Insulation The total cost of doing this would be Solar thermal around £2.9M and the annual benefit Heating controls to the community (lower bills and Upgrade boiler renewable energy income) would be Double glazing in the order of £250,000 per year . Low energy lights • The net benefit to the community Solid wall insulation after 20 years could be around £1.3M Floor insulation 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Investment in Renewable Heating • Rather than investing in all possible improvements, the community could focus of renewable heat technology such as: biomass boilers (25 recommendation), wood burning stoves (17), electric heat pumps (17) and solar thermal panels (51) • These technologies receive RHI subsidy for the first 7 years after installation • The total capital cost would be around £700k and the annual benefit to the community would be £130k . • Over 20 years the community could expect a net benefit of around £600,000
Investment in Low Cost Measures • What if investment were made only in low cost measures, such as low energy lighting (84 installations), draught proofing (34) and hot water cylinder insulation (25)? • The total cost would only be around £10k and the annual savings would be about £6k • Over 20 years the community could save around £137k , over ten times the initial investment.
Implementing a Home Energy Scheme • Income from the Lochluichart and Corriemoillie wind farms could be used to support a local Home Energy Scheme, which would help residents improve the energy efficiency of their homes • A local Home Energy Scheme would require the following two elements: – Home Energy Advice - to help households identify suitable energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, as well as helping to co- ordinate the work required to be carried out. – Financial support – to make it easier for residents to afford improvement measures and to remove the barrier of high up-front costs. • The Home Energy Scheme should be equitable so that all those in the community can benefit, regardless of tenure, house design or financial situation. This will likely involve significant landlord engagement . • It should also be accessible so that the scheme is easy to understand and simple for residents to access.
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