Community Energy

The Scottish Government has set ambitious targets of achieving 500 megawatts of community and locally owned renewable energy by 2020. Significant funding and resources have been made available to help achieve the government’s targets. The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) loan fund was launched back in February 2011 and aims to provide loans towards the high-risk, pre-planning consent stages of renewable energy projects which have significant community engagement and benefit.  

There is also the Scottish Governments Community Renewable Energy Toolkit which provides information, advice, funding details and next steps to community’s considering what they can benefit from renewable energy projects. 

It is clear that community energy set ups can offer increased community cohesion and confidence which is especially important at a time when many communities, particularly those in rural areas, are experiencing financial hardship.  

IRRI itself has a history of assisting with community renewable energy initiatives through the SMALLEST (Solutions for Microgeneration to Allow Energy Saving Technology) project in which they are lead partner. SMALLEST works specifically with rural communities throughout the Northern Periphery to access micro renewable energy solutions more effectively.

Moffat CAN

Moffat CAN (Carbon Approaching Neutral) are a community company and charity situated in the rolling hills of Dumfries & Galloway in South West Scotland. Here the community has come together to launch a multifaceted community group, working to reduce the towns carbon footprint. Their activities range from recycling and waste food collections to composting and food production. Moffat CAN has also invested in a closed loop aquaponics system where fish and plants work in harmony - the fish produce waste which provides the nutrients for the plants and the plants soak up the nutrients leaving clean, fresh water for the fish. Even more impressively the water in the tanks is heated by a combination of solar thermal panels and ground source heating. The set-up of the aquaponics system was assisted by IRRI through the SMALLEST project.

The Moffat CAN story goes from strength to strength - they were recently awarded funding from the Jubilee People’s Millions Award. This will allow them to launch their new ‘Tasty Waste’ project and continue their brilliant work, creating more jobs and doing their bit to safe guard the environment for the future.

For more information on Moffat CAN, please see their website - http://www.moffatcan.org/

            Launch of Renewable Energy Mayo

This September will see the launch of Renewable Energy Mayo (REM). REM is a community energy set-up created through a partnership of Mayo County Council and IRRI.  

County Mayo

A local team has been assembled to take REM forward. Shane Mulchrone; Community Development Officer, Michael Prenty; Energy Advisor and Áine Carr; Energy Development Officer, will work to offer guidance and advice to householders, businesses and community groups throughout Mayo who want to take a more sustainable approach by adopting renewable energy systems. This will contribute towards efforts to tackle climate change and also help alleviate fuel poverty and create jobs. 
  

Interested community groups are invited to attend the launch of Renewable Energy Mayo on the 28^th of September at the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris from 9am until 1pm.

If your community is interested in attending the launch or investigating renewable energy solutions, please contact Shane Mulchrone on 087 -6689467 or via email at shane.mulchrone@irri.org.uk. Coming soon, you will also be able to find further information on Renewable Energy Mayo at www.renewableenergymayo.com.