Community Energy Start-up

Community Energy Start-up project

This project will explore the potential for implementing solar power and help local communities to better understand and map their carbon footprints.

Organisation behind the project

Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) is a Penrith-based charity which has been promoting low carbon living, energy saving and the reduced use of fossil fuels for more than 20 years. Its mission is to empower and enable people, communities and businesses to live and work more sustainably by sharing knowledge, skills and practical experience.

Background and detailed description of the project

The aim of this project is to work with communities in Cumbria and Lancashire to identify opportunities for energy efficiency, solar power and community energy initiatives.

Our £15,000 grant will help CAfS to produce bespoke solar mapping and carbon footprint tools which will be piloted with small businesses and households in three distinct communities to help them maximise their collective potential to generate renewable energy.

Solar power mapping

Large scale installation of solar energy/photovoltaic (PV) systems is key to achieving sustainability in our communities; it’s therefore important to identify potential suitable roof space for modelling PV deployment.

Working with the University of Lancaster, CAfS has developed a tool which can map and measure the roof space of a town or community and assess the maximum number and capacity of solar panels that could be installed. This will provide an assessment of which roofs in a particular community would provide the best generating potential.

CAfS will engage with the local communities to develop this work further to determine how PV mapping could play a key role in a ‘whole place’ zero carbon approach.

Carbon footprint tool

As part of the project CAfS will also utilise a carbon footprint tool which is currently being piloted in Ambleside in Cumbria (Ambleside to Zero project) to help businesses understand what their carbon impact is and measures they can take to reduce it. The assessment will be combined with the latest tailored advice for businesses on how to decarbonise.

This tool and support will be focused on small businesses and domestic households who do not have the resources to carry out this kind of assessment themselves. Evidence suggests that a similar tool, developed by Chester University and rolled out in Ashton Hayes in Cheshire, led to a 20% reduction in carbon emissions over a two-year period.

Project partners

To deliver the Community Energy Start-up project, CAfS is hoping to work with a number of partners who have expressed interest including:

  • University of Lancaster
  • Lancashire City Council
  • Morecambe Bay Renewables
  • Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT).

CAfS has put a call out to other sustainability groups, transition networks and community energy groups across Lancashire and Cumbria who would be welcome to participate.

Where to go for further information

For more information on our community and local energy strategy visit our strategy page, or to find out more about the work of Cumbria Action for Sustainability visit their website.

Image courtesy of Tim Haldon, Alston Moor Community Energy.