Turbine Passes Generation Milestone

As the Autumn winds gather strength, our 10kW wind turbine has this week passed a significant generation milestone. Since the turbine was connected on October 30th 2012, it has generated 100,000kWh of electricity. That is enough to power the average UK household for over 21 years!

Being our first community energy project PCP are pleased to confirm that despite some initial teething problems, the turbine is performing slightly ahead of our business plan projections. Our Community Fund has to date given away £2,800 to local projects, including £1,400 to the Community Foundation for Calderdale Flood Relief Fund.

Together with installing a solar array on Colden Junior and Infant School, we are currently working towards our next share offer which will we hope to launch in the upcoming weeks. Please like us on Facebook and check back here to receive the latest updates.

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Community Energy Update

Whilst PCP has been publicly quiet recently, behind the scenes our Directors have been working to adapt our plans to the altered landscape facing community energy since the raft of policy changes initiated after the last general election. From drastic cuts to the Feed in Tariffs (FiTs), altered tax relief status for community projects, to stricter planning controls, it has not been an easy time for small organisations to make progress, or indeed to survive.

Fortunately we have some experienced Directors who have used their particular expertise to help formulate different funding arrangements for community projects. We hope to make an announcement about two solar projects in the pipeline very soon.

Louise Marix Evans, recently elected Chair of PCP, through her business Quantum Strategy and Technology Ltd, was commissioned to look at how the recent policy changes have impacted upon the community energy sector. Her work also highlighted how much the sector has contributed to the economy through investment, jobs and rural development. 1930_PTC_Infographics_v2_Community_Energy

At the AGM in February our members agreed to donate the £1400 community benefit fund to the Community Foundation for Calderdale’s Flood Relief Fund to support the wider community as it recovers from the serious Boxing Day floods.

Our 10kW turbine is performing well, having generated enough electricity to make 2,530,845 cups of tea so far (93,735kwH since installation), saving 43.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions vs grid sourced electricity!

 

PCP Update

Since our last update, we’ve been busy working on some promising solar power projects in the community. However, due to the hastily announced Government proposals to radically scale back support for renewable energy, we are reviewing the viability of these projects.

We hope to be in a position to announce our upcoming plans before the upcoming AGM in November.

In the meantime, please note that the kWh counter on our turbine datalogger has reset itself, so that although it currently shows 7,000 plus kWh total generation we have, in fact, generated over ten times this amount since the turbine was commissioned.

2013 AGM

Just a quick update on our AGM which was held at the Great Rock Co-op on Saturday the 23rd November 2013. A good turnout of members heard the Directors give their annual report, the financial report and some exciting news on projects in the early stages of development. Please keep checking back for further information on our next steps.

Don’t forget you can contact Pennine Community Power by email; info@powerinthecommunity.org

or look us up on Facebook.