June 2021. Councillor Wilson took part in a free full-day workshop, at Halton Mill, on Zero Carbon Britain: Local Energy Solutions. It was jointly organised by the Local Energy North West Hub and Electricity North West Limited (ENWL), and designed by the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Mid Wales. It was attended by around 30 delegates from across the north-west region.
A presentation by Paul Allen of CAT summarised their 15-year Zero Carbon Britain project. ZCB looks at the way we use energy, and shows that it’s possible, by reducing energy consumption, and changing the kinds of energy we use, to achieve Zero Carbon using already-available technology. It would mean changes to the way we live, but not a reduced quality of life, and if implemented in the UK and worldwide, could even now save us from climate breakdown.
Next Kevin Frea, City Councillor for Halton, talked about the work that the Green-led ruling coalition is doing to carry out its Climate Action Plan, both in reducing its own carbon footprint, and in helping the district as whole to achieve net zero-carbon. Kevin lives in Halton at the Lancaster Co-Housing development, and he explained how it works for the residents of the 41 properties, which are built to Passivhaus standards and need very little heating. Nearly all the energy needs are met by electricity from the nearby Halton Lune hydro scheme, which also sells unused electricity to generate income, which covers maintenance, with any surplus being offered as a community benefit for projects run by local voluntary groups. Kevin then led us on a tour of the hydro scheme and the co-housing, with its traffic-free street – and huge cycle-shed!
Helen Seagrave of ENWL talked about the critical role of ENWL and the other Distribution Network Operators in upgrading and adapting local electricity networks to accommodate big changes over the next decade and beyond, including the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and heat pumps, and more community and domestic generation.
Kate Gilmartin of Local Energy North-West Hub stressed the important contribution that community energy could make in achieving zero carbon, and gave examples of some of the community projects that have already started across the region, set up and run by community interest companies to ensure that all the benefits – energy-saving, cheaper electricity, or income from selling surplus to the grid – are enjoyed by the host community.
Final speaker, via a video link from the Somerset Levels, was Sonya Bedford MBE, vice-chair of Green Wedmore, and also a CAT trustee. Green Wedmore works with the community in many ways – local food, nature restoration, home insulation, transport – to reduce the environmental impact of the 4000 parish residents. It has helped a number of community buildings – schools, village hall, sports clubs – to install solar panels, and has also developed a 4000-panel solar farm just outside the village – enough to meet the needs of 300 homes – in fields still grazed by sheep.