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Powering-up Communities – FREE training and mentoring available
Not-for-profit community groups in Cornwall are being invited to ‘power-up’ with the skills they need to build their membership and enjoy the environmental, social and financial benefits of delivering green energy projects thanks to a pioneering new training programme.
The “Powering-up Communities” programme offers a series of six workshops on a range of subjects, from setting up a group right through to raising funds to bring a renewable energy project to fruition.
The programme will be delivered by Community Energy Plus, supported by Kabin – the independent Co-operative development body for Cornwall.
In addition to the workshops, experts from both organisations will provide mentoring support tailored to the needs of participating groups – whatever their stage of development.
The training programme will help groups to guide the development of sustainable energy activities in their local area and will include talks by experts, workshops and supporting materials. Community Energy Plus and Kabin have extensive experience in this area and can guide groups through the necessary governance structures, planning process, community engagement activities, procurement and delivery of renewable energy projects, including the mechanisms for claiming the feed-in-tariff and ring-fencing community benefit funds for future generations.
There will be six workshops held over a period of two months. All of the workshops will be delivered twice across venues in mid and north Cornwall, starting in Truro on 7th March and in Bodmin on 14th March.
Funding for the “Powering-up Communities” programme has been provided by energyshare.
Full details of workshop dates and booking forms are available online at www.cep.org.uk/powering-up-communities
For further information please call 01872 245566 or email community@cep.org.uk
Low Carbon Ladock
Here’s a great little case study on the support we’ve been able to give to groups through the Cooperative Enterprise Hub funding.
Community Power Cornwall – Planning Applications
Community Power Cornwall Limited is a new Industrial and Provident Society, owned by its members, which is setting out to develop and operate small to medium scale community owned renewable energy installations.
Its initial focus will be on wind turbines generating electricity for sale via the national grid. The Society exists to enable community ownership of these assets, to generate capital to be re-invested locally in renewable energy, and to nurture the spread of community owned renewable energy generation. The Society exists for wider community benefit and hopes to contribute to the wider good by responsibly meeting environmental, social and financial goals.
Community Power Cornwall has submitted its first planning application for the installation of two community owned 50KW Endurance E3120 wind turbines, with a hub height of 24m and blade tip height of 34.6m, on land at Tregerrick Farm, Gorran Highlanes, Gorran, St Austell PL26 6NF.
If Community Power Cornwall’s planning applications for this and two other proposals are successful, a share issue will be launched in the Autumn.
We would appreciate your support to ensure communities can take a real stake in renewable energy generation and the benefits it can offer to all of us!
The Council takes the opinions of the local community very seriously so this is a great opportunity for you to let the planning department know that communities in Cornwall do support local renewable energy generation.
You can view the application and provide feedback online .
If the link above doesn’t work you can search for the application at: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=15927 postcode: PL26 6NF. Use the dropdown box for former district to select either Penwith or Caradon as the Restormel portal doesn’t work correctly. You’ll be able to find the application by searching for 10/04518. In order to provide feedback you will first need to create an account which is straightforward and only takes a couple of minutes.
The details of the planning application are as follows:
Gorran application number: PA10/04518
Location Tregerrick farm, Gorran Highlanes, Gorran, St.Austell
Applicant Mr. Francis Thomas
Agent Neil Farrington, Community Power Cornwall
Planning Officer – Jim Lee
Determination date: 24th September 2010, although It is recommended that feedback is provided as soon as possible (ideally by Friday 10th September to allow sufficient time for the planning department to process comments).
You can find about more about Cornwall Power Cornwall by visiting: http://www.communitypowercornwall.coop
Kabin 