COUNTY councillor Roger Croad has accepted an award on behalf of the local authority for helping communities start up their own renewable energy projects.
Cllr Croad was joined by Kate Royston, chair of the South West Devon Community Energy Partnership and Tamar Energy Community, and Doug Eltham, DCC’s environment and sustainability policy officer to be handed the award.
It recognised the most environmentally sustainable initiatives by a public sector organisation in Devon.
The council’s successes include start-up financing of two community energy partnerships, the South West Devon Community Energy Partnership and another centred on the North Devon Biosphere. It also secured community ownership of two solar arrays by Exeter Community Energy.
The two partnerships have brought together energy groups, councils and the third-sector to work on issues including energy planning, energy efficiency and fuel poverty in communities.
DCC has also worked with RegenSW to deliver a support programme that awarded grants to 18 community organisations for projects, provided technical assistance for grant applications, carried out rooftop solar and hydro assessments and commissioned a film to encourage new groups to develop local energy projects.
DCC has provided resources to incorporate energy issues into school curriculums. As a result pupils in 49 Devon schools have been involved in behaviour-change campaigns and energy auditing with 78 per cent of schools reducing energy consumption by at least 5 per cent, with 57 per cent reducing consumption by 15 per cent or more.
In total 88 per cent reported that they were now trying harder to save energy as a result of the campaign.
DCC also commissioned the first, free Community Energy Legal Toolkit in the UK to help communities develop their own wind, hydro, rooftop solar and ground mounted solar projects.
Cllr Croad said: ’Community ownership of energy schemes helps raise awareness and understanding of energy issues, retains money in local economies, enhances skills, improves resilience and lowers carbon emissions.
’DCC understands that communities are central to addressing long-term sustainability issues such as energy use and carbon emissions and to achieve this it is vital we educate our young people from an early age.
’We know that action taken collectively to address local issues can be incredibly effective.
’DCC’s strategic plan, Better Together, pledges to support community groups to enable communities to have greater influence and control and commits to working together to reduce energy needs and promote renewable energy.’
There is still an opportunity for community organisations interested in developing their own renewable energy schemes to receive assistance funded by DCC before the end of the financial year. For more information visit: www.devondare.org/community-support-service.html