Community Energy with a conscience

Our mission is to make a difference to the environment every day, so supporting communities to invest in renewables where individuals may not be able to afford to do so is high up on our 'to do' list. We've been working with WREN and Low Carbon Ladock to install solar PV for individuals as well as for the community group, and we've been getting lots of great feedback from our customers. Community Energy Plus are a local charity offering community groups funding options to invest in solar and other renewable energy technologies. We are proud to be selected as one of their 3 chosen partner installers, and look forward to supporting more community energy groups in Cornwall. Cornish energy charity launches community energy offer with a social conscience A Cornish sustainable energy charity is set to unlock the energy generating potential of commercial and community buildings across Cornwall following the launch of their free roof mounted solar PV offer. CEP have launched ‘Community Energy Solar’ as a socially motivated alternative to other solar offers for commercial rooftops. Through the programme businesses, farms, community buildings, clubs and community centres can benefit from the free installation and ongoing maintenance of solar panels in order to access the electricity generated by the panels at a rate which will be typically at least 50% less than standard commercial tariffs. This will offer those taking up the offer a low, predictable cost of electricity for the 20 year term of the agreement. Neil Farrington, Renewables & Communities Manager at Community Energy Plus explained why the charity is embarking on the new venture: “Rising energy prices are a major concern for community buildings and business owners. We’ve set up this new programme to offer the financial and environmental benefits of roof-mounted PV to commercial and community buildings who lack the upfront investment to buy a system outright. Power purchase agreement offers have started to emerge within the sector, but we recognise that many building owners are wary of working with unknown investors and have concerns about their contacts being sold on without their consent which was commonplace a couple of years ago with ‘rent a roof’ solar schemes.” “As a charity we are not committed to making returns to private investors or banks. All surpluses made through this programme will be reinvested to support Community Energy Plus’s charitable objectives and will help us to continue our fight against fuel poverty and work to create a more sustainable future for householders and communities in Cornwall. We hope that community and commercial building owners across the county will recognise the value of our solar offer with a social conscience and seize the opportunity to harness the solar potential of their building’s roof.” Community Energy Plus will be working with local installers and will be responsible for the installation, maintenance and servicing of all installed systems, ensuring that they meet agreed performance parameters. Further information about the Community Energy Solar programme is available online at www.cep.org.uk/solar or by calling 01872 245566.