Climate change and community renewables

1. Climate change and community renewables

2. Global context – 2013 IPCC Report • Human impact now 'unequivocal'; 'incontrovertible'. • Positive forcing of 2C by 2046. • Perhaps +4C by 2046, and +5.5C by 2100. • To avoid +2C would require cuts by the UK, EU & USA of around 80-90% by 2030.1 • +4C is considered ‘incompatible with organised global community’. 2 • Average surface temperature at height of last ice age was around -5C. 3 • Clean energy supplies must at least treble to avoid catastrophic CC. • In April 2014 Asda announced that 95% of their entire fresh produce range is already at risk from climate change. • UK Envoy to Foreign Secretary says, climate change poses as grave a threat to the UK's security and economic resilience as terrorism.

3. Impacts on Wiltshire • Heavy rain, strong winds, fierce heat – leading to more frequent flooding, storm damage, soil erosion, pro-longed drought & greater fire risk. • Damage to infrastructure – roads, bridges, utilities, property. • Pressure on public services & public spending; increases in council tax. • Loss of precious landscape & habitat; reduced biodiversity. • Bad harvests here & globally, leading to food shortages; price increases. • Northward migration of bugs & diseases – and people.

4. Emissions reductions in context Legally binding requirement for 80% CO2 reductions by 2050. National renewable energy target of 15% by 2020, including 30% of electricity from renewables by 2020. 1 Wiltshire Council has recognised that 367MW of renewable electricity needs to be installed to meet target for 2020. 2 This equates to about 655,000 MWh/year. 3 Wiltshire is less than ½ way there. Camco recorded these key opportunities for Wiltshire: Large wind (1/2of 2020 target) Biomass (2/5 of target) Solar (unknown)

5. The energy patchwork Home scale Community scale

6. Large-scale wind • Potential to deliver half of the 30% target in Wiltshire by 2020 • 64 x 2.5 MW turbines, up to100m. • Wind is a cheap, efficient & reliable renewable electricity option. • Competitive with fossil fuels and nuclear. • No large-scale wind in Wiltshire. • Potential sites are limited. • Wind is badly misrepresented in most mainstream media, and so public opinion is divided.

7. Community wind case study – Westmill 100% community owned, and started generating, March 2008. 5 x 1.3 MW turbines; 49m to tip. Electricity for 2,500 homes. Earns around £1m per yearfor the 2,374 shareholders. Most shareholders live locally. Turbines are now more productive. Land use for farming unaffected. Community funds are now mandatory, at £5K/MW installed.

8. Biomass Large and small scale biomass technologies: e.g. wood chip, AD. Unclear if incineration is included – CHP incinerators are eligible for ROCs, but not truly renewable. Genuinely local, low carbon biomass is a good option: E.g. From locally grown energy crops such as willow and maize, sustainable forestry, and anaerobic digestion from animal or human waste.

9. Biomass case study – SharcottPennings, Pewsey Dairy farm, with 350 – 500 cows. Anaerobic digester fed 50:50 by animal waste & locally grown maize. Electricity for 4000 homes. £20m upgrade, including £6.5m AD. As with all energy infrastructure, relies on grid payments that reflect cost of development. Heat for schools & leisure centreis possible, but requires good will and a further £350K investment. AD should not be used as an eco-fig leaf for factory farming.

10. Solar farms Increasingly popular due to recent fall in the price of solar PV. Green field solar growth in Wiltshire is ahead of Camco predictions. Unfortunately, solar has a lower capacity/load factor, at 9%. On-site biodiversity can be enhanced. • Farming options are more limited, but sheep are often grazed. • Community funds are not required, but are often given. • Sites for solar are also limited, and low-hanging fruit has largely gone. • Solar Strategy includes a non-binding goal of 20GW of installed solar capacity by 2020, up from around 2.7GW currently. • Greenfield solar will be essential to meet this goal.

11. Pewsey is well located for grid connections.

12. Solar case study – Holly Lodge Care Home, Pewsey • Installation of 208 solar panels, at a cost of about £70,000. • Installed capacity of 50 kilowatt-peak (kWp). • Payback expected in 6.4 years with 20% interest per annum. • Payback is based on a 20-year working life, with FITs at 13.5p/kwh • 400% return on investment. • Holly Lodge will consume most of the electricity, saving £15,000 p.a. • CO2 savings of 412 tonnes over 20 years.

13. Retrofitting your home Strict laws to govern new building are essential, but… Most of the UK’s buildings are already built! Retrofitting gets older buildings up to modern standards. The Green Deal can help with: Leaky doors and windows, Roof, wall and under-floor insulationand draft proofing, Hot water and grey water systems, Micro-generation and renewables, Efficient heating systems.

14. Opportunities for Pewsey Vale AONB(rightly) restricts opportunities. Large wind highly unlikely – community scale wind, perhaps. Additional AD (CHP). Well-screened community solar. PPCnot currently investigating renewables, but should now prioritise this responsibility. Should help identify potential sites for renewables; willing landowners; potential beneficiaries; and attract potential investors. Community consent is also critical.

15. What can you do? Raise awareness of the need for renewable energy. Build your knowledge. Help break down prejudice and myths. Urge council to take action. Get involved in neighbourhood planning processes. Help identify possible sites – particularly council land and property, other public buildings, churches, farm land. Support existing community projects.

16. Thanks for your time – Any questions?