A community scheme in Totnes which launched last year to help cut local people’s energy bills and carbon emissions has praised us for helping to kickstart the project.
As part of its recovery programme following the coronavirus pandemic, we provided support from our Community Energy Fund to the Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC), helping to set up renewable energy marketplace Energy Local Totnes as the South West’s first smart local energy system last March.
TRESOC has since received £120,000 from the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme, managed by the Energy Saving Trust, and says it wouldn’t have happened without our support in helping to get Energy Local Totnes off the ground in the first instance.
The funding from the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme, managed by the Energy Saving Trust, will support the growth of Energy Local Totnes to 200 households and 400kW of locally generated renewable energy in the next two years. It will also aim to save members between 10%-30% off their energy bills and reduce their carbon emissions by a target of 30%.
Dr Sally Murrall-Smith, Managing Director of Totnes Renewable Energy Society, said: “The grant from Devon County Council was the seed funding TRESOC needed to kickstart Energy Local Totnes. It has started something big and we are so very grateful to the County Council for seeing the potential in the project and setting the wheels in motion.”
Energy Local Totnes launched with 35 households signed up to the scheme.
If Totnes Weir Hydro joins the scheme this year, the scheme could potentially provide enough electricity to power 1,000 households, which could mean a fifth of the households within the Totnes substation could be powered by renewable energy (this includes Totnes, Dartington, Harberton, Harbertonford, Ashsprington, Halwell and Littlehempston).
As well as helping to establish Energy Local Totnes, the funding from us is enabling TRESOC to develop new community-owned roof top solar PV installations in Totnes.
Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Skills, said:
“It’s extremely pleasing to see how our initial funding played a key role in helping Energy Local Totnes to get the ball rolling, and we’re honoured to receive such warm praise for helping to make a difference. Congratulations to them for successfully receiving funding from the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme which should now help take the project to another level. The community energy sector is coming into sharp focus to help tackle the Climate Emergency and address rising energy costs so hopefully Energy Local Totnes can highlight what can be achieved in Devon and encourage others to follow their lead.”
