Recently Cornwall Council along with other councils in England, and an increasing number of parishes, towns and city councils, has declared a Climate Emergency.
The council considered the evidence about rising carbon dioxide emissions and is asking the Government and other organisations to support it in its plan to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Increasingly we see reports of young people becoming more active in demanding action on climate change but what should the older generations do? We worry about what our children, grandchildren and the next generations will have to deal with.
So, as a small group of parishioners, parents and grandparents we've been meeting to consider what actions we can take to help address climate change.
As individuals we can look at small manageable actions that collectively would begin to make a difference. Some so obvious that they get forgotten - switching off lights and devices that are not in use.
Thinking as a parish we could explore the possibility of local electricity generation through a Community Interest Company (CIC). We could increase our access to locally grown foods. We could reduce the speed limit to 20mph through the village. We could declare a Climate Emergency and immediately network with other like-minded parishes to share ideas and resources.
We come together as individuals, as parishioners and as people who live in Cornwall under our banner of Re:ImagineKernow, one which we hope others will join.
We have asked Cornwall Council how we can work with them in addressing some of the energy challenges that we face. Here is their response:
What is the Geothermal energy potential for Cornwall and the UK?
The deep geothermal resource in Cornwall represents a significant opportunity for renewable heat and power generation. In the 1970’s and 80’s the world renowned ‘Hot dry rocks project’ in Penryn, led by Camborne School of Mines, confirmed the high temperatures which are found deep underground in Cornwall’s granite. A recent study suggested this resource could meet all of Cornwall’s demand for electricity.
With regards to the potential for the rest of the UK, a paper by consultants SKM, in association with the Renewable Energy Association (an industry trade body), argued geothermal power could provide 20% of the UK’s electricity and all of the UK’s heat demand. However, the Government commissioned Deep Geothermal Review Study, (by the consultancy Atkins), estimated potential generating capacity at 4% of annual electricity requirements (2013 figures).
This is because this type of geothermal resource is unique to Cornwall, west Devon and other limited areas across the UK. Deep geothermal power potential is limited to locations with a suitable geology and Cornwall’s deep geothermal plants can tap into heat from the radioactive decay of our granite batholiths; rock structures which are only located under Cornwall, west Devon and a few other locations across the U.K. Whilst the electricity generated can be distributed nationally, when geothermal heat is accessed it is used in close proximity to the geothermal plant
Is Geothermal energy a route for community energy schemes?
Unlike onshore wind and solar energy, deep geothermal projects, particularly those which produce electricity, are necessarily relatively large scale and come with high exploration risk. Therefore they do not lead themselves to community energy schemes. However, once the resource is proven and a project is progressing, there could be opportunities for community/ individuals to invest in such schemes in the future. An example of this is the Crowdfunder campaign for the Jubilee Pool geothermal project see https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/jubileepool
Can the National grid take more generation from renewables? Is the production from small community owned turbines able to be linked to a self-sufficient community grid system?
Delivering a carbon-neutral Cornwall requires a significant amount of low carbon technologies to be accommodated by the electricity grid both in terms of renewable energy, the electrification of heat and transportation.
Western Power Distribution and Cornwall Council are committed to working together to ensure the future requirements of a carbon-neutral Cornwall are included in WPD’s long term plans. To inform this process Cornwall Council have commissioned the University of Exeter to produce scenarios detailing how Cornwall could become carbon neutral. This work will help frame WPD’s future plans for developing Cornwall’s electricity grid as part of their next review of their South West network, to be completed by Q2 of 2020.
Over the past decade, Western Power Distribution has re-engineered the network to accommodate over 3.5GW of distributed generation. WPD has resolved the issue, particularly of Solar energy being generated at periods of low usage, through conventional reinforcement and by implementing a flexible Active Network Management system which allows different generation sources to share the same capacity.
The main barrier to deployment of on-shore wind has been the change in the national Government’s planning policy which further empowered communities to halt the deployment of on-shore.
Cornwall Council is keen to support community owned renewables and has provided loan funding to a number of community-led projects across Cornwall. The financing of community owned wind turbines is limited and hence the additional costs required to develop community scale micro-grids could create a further barrier to their deployment. We have commissioned studies into the potential for micro-grids and whilst there are some limited geographic opportunities, particularly in large new developments, the complexities and costs of such projects suggest that in the majority of cases connecting renewables to a smarter and reinforced National Grid still provides the best option in most cases.
What encouragement is there for us to help poorer households, individuals and communities to pursue alternative energy schemes?
Cornwall Council did not support national Government’s decision to remove FiT from solar panel subsidy. Unfortunately the scale of revenue subsidies for solar pv means it would be impossible for Cornwall Council to fund a local replacement for FiT in Cornwall. However we are considering whether it would be possible for Cornwall Council to coordinate the establishment of a solar pv collective purchase scheme which could bring down the cost of solar installations for residents. An example of such a scheme is Solar Together which operates in London and several other localities. Details of the Solar Together scheme can be found here:
https://solartogetherlondon.ichoosr.com/Product/customizableinfo.rails?actionId=728
We are also looking at Community energy financing loans for renewables building on our ‘community energy loan scheme’ and/ or a ‘carbon neutral community grant competition’ targeted at supporting community carbon neutral projects/ buildings.
Cornwall Council is aware that the Green Deal scheme did not meet the expectations set for it or meet its own intended objectives. The Council’s view is that the Green Deal scheme would have been more successful if the loans could have been made available on an interest free basis. The Home Energy Efficiency Programme Scotland (HEEPS) interest free loan scheme has been established and funded by the Scottish Government operates successfully in Scotland. Cornwall Council is proposing that a similar scheme is established in England funded by the UK Government. Details on the HEEPS loan scheme can be found here:
https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/grants-loans/home-energy-scotland-loan
What other help can Cornwall Council provide to poorer households?
Renewable heating technologies are more expense than fossil fuel alternatives. However, as renewable heating is funded by the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme it is not possible for additional public funding to be directed towards funding renewable heating due to legal requirements referred to as State Aid. Working with Energy Company Obligation (ECO) concession partner SSE Energy Solutions, Cornwall Council already provides free or heavily subsidised insulation and heating improvement for fuel poor and vulnerable households through our Warm and Well Cornwall project. Details on Warm and Well Cornwall can be found here: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/warmandwell .
The council considered the evidence about rising carbon dioxide emissions and is asking the Government and other organisations to support it in its plan to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Increasingly we see reports of young people becoming more active in demanding action on climate change but what should the older generations do? We worry about what our children, grandchildren and the next generations will have to deal with.
So, as a small group of parishioners, parents and grandparents we've been meeting to consider what actions we can take to help address climate change.
As individuals we can look at small manageable actions that collectively would begin to make a difference. Some so obvious that they get forgotten - switching off lights and devices that are not in use.
Thinking as a parish we could explore the possibility of local electricity generation through a Community Interest Company (CIC). We could increase our access to locally grown foods. We could reduce the speed limit to 20mph through the village. We could declare a Climate Emergency and immediately network with other like-minded parishes to share ideas and resources.
We come together as individuals, as parishioners and as people who live in Cornwall under our banner of Re:ImagineKernow, one which we hope others will join.
We have asked Cornwall Council how we can work with them in addressing some of the energy challenges that we face. Here is their response:
What is the Geothermal energy potential for Cornwall and the UK?
The deep geothermal resource in Cornwall represents a significant opportunity for renewable heat and power generation. In the 1970’s and 80’s the world renowned ‘Hot dry rocks project’ in Penryn, led by Camborne School of Mines, confirmed the high temperatures which are found deep underground in Cornwall’s granite. A recent study suggested this resource could meet all of Cornwall’s demand for electricity.
With regards to the potential for the rest of the UK, a paper by consultants SKM, in association with the Renewable Energy Association (an industry trade body), argued geothermal power could provide 20% of the UK’s electricity and all of the UK’s heat demand. However, the Government commissioned Deep Geothermal Review Study, (by the consultancy Atkins), estimated potential generating capacity at 4% of annual electricity requirements (2013 figures).
This is because this type of geothermal resource is unique to Cornwall, west Devon and other limited areas across the UK. Deep geothermal power potential is limited to locations with a suitable geology and Cornwall’s deep geothermal plants can tap into heat from the radioactive decay of our granite batholiths; rock structures which are only located under Cornwall, west Devon and a few other locations across the U.K. Whilst the electricity generated can be distributed nationally, when geothermal heat is accessed it is used in close proximity to the geothermal plant
Is Geothermal energy a route for community energy schemes?
Unlike onshore wind and solar energy, deep geothermal projects, particularly those which produce electricity, are necessarily relatively large scale and come with high exploration risk. Therefore they do not lead themselves to community energy schemes. However, once the resource is proven and a project is progressing, there could be opportunities for community/ individuals to invest in such schemes in the future. An example of this is the Crowdfunder campaign for the Jubilee Pool geothermal project see https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/jubileepool
Can the National grid take more generation from renewables? Is the production from small community owned turbines able to be linked to a self-sufficient community grid system?
Delivering a carbon-neutral Cornwall requires a significant amount of low carbon technologies to be accommodated by the electricity grid both in terms of renewable energy, the electrification of heat and transportation.
Western Power Distribution and Cornwall Council are committed to working together to ensure the future requirements of a carbon-neutral Cornwall are included in WPD’s long term plans. To inform this process Cornwall Council have commissioned the University of Exeter to produce scenarios detailing how Cornwall could become carbon neutral. This work will help frame WPD’s future plans for developing Cornwall’s electricity grid as part of their next review of their South West network, to be completed by Q2 of 2020.
Over the past decade, Western Power Distribution has re-engineered the network to accommodate over 3.5GW of distributed generation. WPD has resolved the issue, particularly of Solar energy being generated at periods of low usage, through conventional reinforcement and by implementing a flexible Active Network Management system which allows different generation sources to share the same capacity.
The main barrier to deployment of on-shore wind has been the change in the national Government’s planning policy which further empowered communities to halt the deployment of on-shore.
Cornwall Council is keen to support community owned renewables and has provided loan funding to a number of community-led projects across Cornwall. The financing of community owned wind turbines is limited and hence the additional costs required to develop community scale micro-grids could create a further barrier to their deployment. We have commissioned studies into the potential for micro-grids and whilst there are some limited geographic opportunities, particularly in large new developments, the complexities and costs of such projects suggest that in the majority of cases connecting renewables to a smarter and reinforced National Grid still provides the best option in most cases.
What encouragement is there for us to help poorer households, individuals and communities to pursue alternative energy schemes?
Cornwall Council did not support national Government’s decision to remove FiT from solar panel subsidy. Unfortunately the scale of revenue subsidies for solar pv means it would be impossible for Cornwall Council to fund a local replacement for FiT in Cornwall. However we are considering whether it would be possible for Cornwall Council to coordinate the establishment of a solar pv collective purchase scheme which could bring down the cost of solar installations for residents. An example of such a scheme is Solar Together which operates in London and several other localities. Details of the Solar Together scheme can be found here:
https://solartogetherlondon.ichoosr.com/Product/customizableinfo.rails?actionId=728
We are also looking at Community energy financing loans for renewables building on our ‘community energy loan scheme’ and/ or a ‘carbon neutral community grant competition’ targeted at supporting community carbon neutral projects/ buildings.
Cornwall Council is aware that the Green Deal scheme did not meet the expectations set for it or meet its own intended objectives. The Council’s view is that the Green Deal scheme would have been more successful if the loans could have been made available on an interest free basis. The Home Energy Efficiency Programme Scotland (HEEPS) interest free loan scheme has been established and funded by the Scottish Government operates successfully in Scotland. Cornwall Council is proposing that a similar scheme is established in England funded by the UK Government. Details on the HEEPS loan scheme can be found here:
https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/grants-loans/home-energy-scotland-loan
What other help can Cornwall Council provide to poorer households?
Renewable heating technologies are more expense than fossil fuel alternatives. However, as renewable heating is funded by the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme it is not possible for additional public funding to be directed towards funding renewable heating due to legal requirements referred to as State Aid. Working with Energy Company Obligation (ECO) concession partner SSE Energy Solutions, Cornwall Council already provides free or heavily subsidised insulation and heating improvement for fuel poor and vulnerable households through our Warm and Well Cornwall project. Details on Warm and Well Cornwall can be found here: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/warmandwell .