Our most recent public meeting was held on Saturday 21st January in South Leith Parish Church Halls in Henderson Street, Leith. Speakers included Mark Wells from Sheffield Renewables, which is a community and a social enterprise that develops, funds, builds, owns and operates renewable energy schemes. Any surplus money is re-invested to support local communities in Sheffield. It is legally incorporated in way which allows it to finance its work by selling shares, primarily to people and businesses within Sheffield.
Poster for the meeting available here.
Board Member Pete Roche gave a brief summary of a recent Co-operatives UK and Co-operatives Group report on community energy co-operatives springing up around the UK. His presentation is available here: RenewableCo-operatives_Pete_Roche_210112
Another Board Member, Stuart Hay, who works for Changeworks, updated the meeting on the Energy Co-op’s Climate Challenge Fund, Leith Community Energy Project. His focus was a case study of the solar power feasibility study carried out for South Leith Parish Church Halls. Stuart’s presentation can be viewed here: LeithCommunityEnergyProjectUpdate_Stuart_Hay_210112
Mark Wells from Sheffield Renewables talked about how Sheffield’s community energy company was set up; outlined the feasibility studies it has carried out on two hydro schemes and how the company has used community share offers to finance the schemes. His presentation can be found here: SheffieldRenewables_Mark_Wells_210112
We also heard a brief updates on the proposed Portobello and Leith Community Wind Turbine Project.
And from the Balerno Village Trust on their plans for a hydro scheme at Harlaw Reservoir.
