Energy ::
Appointment of Cornwall Carbon Policy Officer to:
- lead and facilitate the production and delivery of a Cornwall Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan;
- co-ordinate and facilitate a strategic Cornwall Carbon Management Task & Finish Group;
- co-ordinate the provision of easily understandable & impartial carbon management information support for the public and private sector in Cornwall.
Cornwall Carbon Policy Officer appointed October 2007.
Policy development process involves Cornwall Strategic Partnership.
Officer seconded to CSEP from CCC Oct 08 - Mar 09 to support Carbon Policy Officer and development of Cormwall Climate Change Action Plan (3CAP).
CSEP has now transferred to Cornwall Development Company to form the Low Carbon Cornwall unit to focus on delivery rather than policy. Work on 3CAP under review.
Development of a Cornwall Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan with time-specific carbon reduction targets identified and agreed with key organisations across the county.
Carbon Policy Officer appointed to co-ordinate development of strategy. Initial focus to advise on Carbon reduction initiatives to be integrated within the Cornwall Sustainable Community Strategy. Project mandate for developing strategy & action plan approved by CSP and CCC Executive. Project initiation meeting held, panels of expert stakeholders convened to oversee content guidance and a Project Board formed to oversee the project's governance. The initial public visioning consultation exercise has begun (under the 'Cornwall 2050' banding) with a display (with supporting website) touring various events in Cornwall (launched at Royal Cornwall Show).
Oct 08: The phase 1 (fast-track) Task & Finish groups completed their 'Issues & Options' papers, these were sent for review by the Content Guidance Groups. The majority of the phase 2 groups are beginning to look at getting together to begin drafting their papers. Work has begun and is progressing well on the 'Policy & Regulatory Framework Review. Peter McGregor (Cornwall College/Environment Kernow) has been contracted to start the development of the Evidence Base (Data) Guidance Document.
CCC and CSEP are partners in an INTERREG IVC proposal 'Regions for Sustainable Change' which has just been approved for funding. This project will involve networking and joint activities with other European partners with a focus on developing low carbon economies, and includes funding for a Mini-Stern review for Cornwall. This will link directly to the development of the Cornwall Climate Change Action Plan.
May 09: First draft of summary interim action plan presented to the Project Board with agreement that the next draft interim action plan will be finalised by the end of May and presented to the board in June. Work on task & finish group papers and full action plan is on hold until replacement support staff are in post.
Mar 10: Majority of options & issues papers have been finalised along with other core outputs and have been formally handed over to Cornwall Strategic Partnership. Awaiting decision from CC and CSP regarding how this work will be progressed.
Climate change Strategy & Action Plan completed in 2009.
Defra guidelines on carbon ownership are limiting opportunities to develop Cornwall derived carbon offsetting schemes (e.g. for Newquay Cornwall Airport). Linked to Defra interpretation of voluntary carbon market and linkages to mandatory carbon targets. Carbon compensation possible as an alternative transitionary model (as is being done in Eastleigh).
CSEP is feeding into LGA discussions with Defra. Also looking into potential research collaboration with University of Exeter on carbon ownership and market liberalisation.
May 09: Transfer of CSEP team to Low Carbon Cornwall has significantly impacted upon staff resource and capacity to complete the final action plan. Additional staff will be recruited to the LCC team in early summer '09 which should help to ease the situation. Discussions are also ongoing with Cornwall Council to replace previous seconded support post.
July 09: Lack of staff resources continue to impact upon action plan development.
Jan 10: Following the 3CAP Project Board meeting in November 2009 it was noted that funding for Low Carbon Cornwall (formerly CSEP) to continue this work had come to an end in October 2009. LCC have consequently produced a cessation paper detailing the current position of 3CAP with a view to handing this work over to Cornwall Council as part of their wider review of delivery (Green Cornwall Programme).
Mar 10: Still awaiting strategic decision regarding progression of this work within CC.
Jul 10: Situation still as above.
CCC/CSEP funding agreement (by Mar '09):
To produce a Cornwall Carbon Trading & Offsetting protocol;
To produce a Cornwall Climate Change Strategy to 2020;
To produce a Climate Change Risk Assessment to 2020.
Specific targets will be defined within the final action plan.
Adoption of 'Merton' type rule for Cornwall - setting % Renewable Energy targets for all new developments
CSEP Planning Group bringing together Planning & Building Control Officers from CCC and district authorities established in 2006 and continues to meet on quarterly basis. National policy discussions still dominate this area of work. Peter Rugg seconded to CSEP from CPR Regeneration as full-time Planning & Development Officer (Jan '08 - Mar '09). Will provide support to Planning Group and lead on energy-related planning work for CSEP.
Peter Rugg has been appointed as Planning & Development Co-ordinator for Low Carbon Cornwall and will continue to co-ordinate the Sustainable Energy in Planning Group (SEPG). The first meeting of this group since the formation of Cornwall Council took place in April 09 and identified the need to coordinate all sustainable energy related work and strategies throughout Cornwall. The group will act as a peer review mechanism for both Council and national strategy consultations and new terms of reference have been agreed to reflect the new remit for this group. Membership has been extended to include relevant statutory agencies. The group reviewed the emerging Renewable Energy Supplementary Planning Document adopted by Cornwall Council in Spring 2009.
A Planning & Regeneration paper has been developed through the SEPG as an Issues & Options paper for 3CAP and has been accepted by the 3CAP project board.
Progress dependent on regional (RSS) and national decisions being made.
Development and adoption of Isles of Scilly Sustainable Energy Strategy & Action Plan
Final draft Strategy complete. Includes recommendations that exceed national energy standards.
Formal launch of Strategy & Action Plan in December 2007.
Development of Sustainable Energy Strategy for Truro/Threemilestone Urban Extension - to set energy standards for all new developments.
Project Manager appointed Oct 07 to co-ordinate development of strategy. The completed strategy was submitted to Carrick District Council in March 2008 and awaiting Member sign-off of all related strategies and the Area Action Plan before it can be published. It includes developer guidelines and ESCo options for the proposed urban extension in Truro and Threemilestone.
Strategy complete by March 2008.
Creation of Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) for the CPR regeneration area
Initial energy feasibility study for the CPR area launched in Feb 2006. Project Officer appointed to CEP October 2007 to lead on CPR sustainable energy work within the context of the ASPIRE project (funded by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme). First draft SEAP developed and consultation events held with community and stakeholders from Summer to Autumn 2008.
Information on the CPR activities presented at a conference in Brussels (organised by CSEP). A 'Building Sustainable Business' event was held at the Penventon Hotel. SEAP finalised in March 2009.
In Jan 08 CSEP participated in a project proposal to the INTERREG IVC funding programme. The project 'POWER' focuses on the energy opportunities for post-mining areas. Unfortunately the proposal was unsuccessful in initial evaluation stages but was resubmitted in Jan 2009. If successful, CSEP's activities were to focus on use of minewater in CPR area for energy generation.
CSEP is working with Cornwall Council to tender and commission an energy strategy for the proposed Camborne, Pool, Illogan, Redruth (CPIR) Area Action Plan (funded through Growth Points funding). This work will include production of an evidence base for an accelerated code for sustainable home levels for new housing. Further to a competitive tender process AECOM were duly appointed. A number of stakeholder workshops were held in Summer 09 and the study completed in November 2009. An internal stakeholder workshop for Cornwall Council staff is due to be held in 2010.
SEAP finalised March 2009.
Camborne Pool Illogan Redruth Energy Strategy completed in November 2009.
Delivery of Business Resource Efficiency Programmes
Partnership delivery of ENVISION Cornwall programme, HONEY2CORNWALL programme, Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) etc. Programmes being delivered to target. Additional funding secured to continue ENVISION to summer 2009. Future programmes (post 2009) as yet unclear due to uncertainties around the Business Resource Efficiency Programmes and delays in commissioning under Convergence.
Following the transfer of the CSEP team to Low Carbon Cornwall within the Cornwall Development Company, business resource efficiency programmes are now primarily delivered by CSEP's previous host organisation Community Energy Plus (CEP), working with other key local organisations such as ReZolve.
Low Carbon Cornwall (LCC) has secured £800K of ESF funding to work with CC, University of Exeter (UoE), Cornwall College and Eden on a project that will include development and delivery of climate change skills development activities aimed at supply chain businesses. Project started 1 April 2009 and will run for 3 years. LCC, Eden and UoE have now appointed full time delivery officers and a work programme is now in full development. Initial training will commence in April 2010.
LCC is also working with other local partners on the 'Strengthening the Environment Sector' project (managed by Cornwall College) which has secured £500K funding from the LSC to develop and deliver innovative ways of improving the skills of individuals and businesses within the Environmental Goods & Services sector.
Delivery of Greening Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) in Cornwall
GTBS scheme in Cornwall currently being delivered to target.
Creation of Energy Service Companies (ESCos) in Cornwall
An ESCo development workshop was held on 05/02/08 at CSEP's offices with key local and regional stakeholders looking to develop an ESCo for CPR area. CSEP's Tim German and Peter Rugg took key ESCo stakeholders from Cornwall County Council and CPR Regeneration to a meeting with Allan Jones, Chief Executive Officer of the London Climate Change Agency in April, followed by a fact-finding visit to the Barkantine CHP district energy scheme. A further meeting was held with the EDF Energy London ESCo team on 19 May to discuss private sector approaches to ESCo formation.
A heat main strategy has been completed and is being tested for planning issues. Following the establishment of an 'ESCo' working group (CPRR, SWRDA, CSEP, Cornwall Council, Cornwall College, Homes & Communities Agency) a draft project plan and tender brief were produced. Following approval of the brief by the 'Energy Strategy Steering Group' and SWRDA Covergence team, a tender process was undertaken in late Autumn 2008 and EDF Energy were appointed to establish a business and delivery plan for a CPR Regeneration ESCo.
A series of stakeholder workshops were held with key partners to develop the business plan/technology options for the ESCo. A final report covering technical solution, financial validation and company structure was produced and recommended for approval stakeholder's meeting on 8 May 2009. Further detailed commissioning work undertaken with respect to actual plant design and funding opportunities and an application was submitted for ERDF funding to enable development of a fully costed plan for the Community Energy Pilot Project. This application was approved by the Convergence EAG in October 2009. Due to the withdrawal of original appointed consultants (due to company restructuring) the work is having to be re-tendered. At the November 09 ESCO stakeholders steering group it was agreed that the 2 other short listed candidates would be invited to re-tender.
July 10: ESCo development has now moved to Cornwall Council under the 'Green Cornwall' programme, and this work continues to be led by Peter Rugg (who transferred from Low Carbon Cornwall from Apirl 10).
Initial target was for first ESCo to be operational in 2009.
Some delays due to withdrawal of appointed consultants and the need to re-tender for the delivery of a fully costed plan for the Community Energy Pilot Project.
CCC/CSEP funding agreement (by Mar '09):
To facilitate the establishment of the first operational energy service company in Cornwall.
To see second ESCo in development.
Energy Local Area Agreement - increasing installation of microgeneration technologies in domestic and community buildings
William Garnier apointed in Jan '08 as CSEP Renewable Energy Technical Officer to continue LAA delivery (following departure in Dec '07 of previous officer Will Wason).
LAA ended 31 March 2009 with stretch target met and exceeded. Audit carried out June 2009. Awaiting outcome of audits of other LAAs before amount of Performance Award Grant is known.
LAA stretch targets to be achieved by March 2009.
CCC/CSEP funding agreement (by Mar '09):
To facilitate 1072kW installed capacity of microrenewable energy;
To facilitate 146 renewable energy installations in Cornwall;
To secure LAA reward funding of £1 million.
LAA target to achieve 146 new microgeneration installations by Mar 09; 1072KW of new installed capacity (heat, electric, cooling)
Installation of free energy efficiency measures into 'easy to treat' homes across Cornwall via new Home Health Programmes
1378 free energy efficiency measures installed into Cornish homes since April 08.
LAA targets (non stretch) to be delivered by March 2009.
Overall target to Mar 2009 is 3166 installations.
Installation of sustainable energy measures into 'hard to treat' homes (e.g. off gas, solid walls)
Community Energy Plus, Carrick District Council, Cornwall County Council and the University of Exeter worked in partnership on a demonstration project to investigate in detail the practical and financial implications of improving a hard to treat property. A hard to treat farmhouse in Cornwall was treated with various energy saving (loft and external wall insulation) and renewable energy measures (biomass and solar), improving the building's SAP from 6 to 62 and its running costs from £1280/yr to £315/yr.
Community Energy Plus is a partner in Energy Saving Advice SW, which has won the tender to deliver the Energy Savings Trust Advice Centre (ESTAC) for the SW region. The ESTAC entered into force on 02 October 2008 and work over the next 3 years will include finding solutions to dealing with hard to treat properties (via the EST Green Neighbourhoods Fund).
Demonstration project complete.
No specific issues on the demonstration project. Overall issues to deal with hard to treat homes due to high costs involved.
Energy Local Area Agreement - stimulate the growth of Cornwall's sustainable energy economy
Energy in Buildings Group (EIBG) bringing together representatives from majority of Cornwall's existing microgeneration businesses. It meets on a quarterly basis to share information and discuss common issues.
Series of information events held for developers and installers.
CSEP stand at RCS 2007, 2008 & 2009 profiled over 16 Renewable Energy businesses in the 'Green Energy Village'.
Low Carbon Cornwall (LCC) has been created within the Cornwall Development Company (with the transfer of the CSEP team) to co-ordinate delivery of low carbon economy activities. This will include providing support to Cornwall's emerging sustainable energy businesses.
Jul 10: Still awaiting final decision on allocation of LAA Performance Reward Grant, although it is expected that funding will be cut following recent decisions by the new UK Government. LCC is taking forward the development of a suite of indicators to measure Cornwall's transition to a low carbon economy and will be seeking alternative funding to support this work.
LCC successfully delivered the 2010 Royal Cornwall Show 'Green Energy Village' working with Design of the Times (DOTT), which profiled 17 sustainable energy businesses.
Management of the EiBG has now been transferred from LCC to Cornwall Sustainable Buildings Trust (CSBT).
Appointment of CSEP Business Development Manager to focus on opportunities for developing sustainable energy industry in Cornwall (incl. ESCo formation)
Initial recruitment process carried out over summer 2007. Interviews held in September 2007 but no appointment made. Job description & person spec revised Dec 07, interviews held 04/02/08 with Stuart Farmer appointed.
Business Development Manager has transferred to Low Carbon Cornwall along with the CSEP team.
Second round of recruitment successful therefore action complete.
The Energy Collect Programme itself has been superseded by activity funded by the RDPE that is designed to provide advice, guidance and capital grant support to farms in order to reduce their energy and resource use. In addition to this farmers can access RDPE grants to assist them to diversify into renewable energy generation via wind, solar, hydro, PV, Biomass, AD, etc.
The CSEP Bio-energy working group has been renambed the Land Based Energy Group to reflect its focus on energy derived from land based activity rather than domestic and commercial and industrial waste. The group is still chaired by David Rodda of the CAC and has recently visited a 3MW woodchip fuelled boiler at a nursery near Liskeard to see renewable energy in practice.
The CAC successfully completed a study into the economic feasibility of high output on-farm Anaerobic Digestion in order to ascertain whether this scale is economically viable. The study was funded using Objective One EAGGF and DEFRA funds. It studied 8 scenarios including various sizes of dairy farms, a vegetable farm, a pig farm and a unit that could supply heat and power into the proposed extension of the Tolvaddon Energy Park. Whilst the report is theoretical the scenarios are real and of the 8 studied two were found to be viable. One of these sites is now progressing to more detailed development phases.
In 2009 the CAC secured funds from Cornwall Council County Farms and Exmoor National Park to undertake a further study but this time with a focus on low output low cost AD technology. Again 5 scenarios were chosen for study and of these two were viable. Both of these farms are now progressing to more detailed planning stages. The technology to be used on these farms is very innovative and the CAC see real potential for wider roll out of this technology if it can be proven to work. It is hoped that the RDPE can assist with some demonstration units with associated evaluation.
Under the RDPE the RDA have launched the Agricultural Resource Management Programme (ARM). This consists of two commissioned programmes (Soils for Profit - S4P and Resource Efficiency on Farms - R4F) and an innovation fund. S4P and R4F will deliver a package of support to farmers designed to reduce energy and resource use and improve the management of soils and fertiliser usage. The ARM innovation fund is designed to encourage innovative resource management solutions and it also has a knowledge transfer element to ensure lessons learned and best practice are shared. These schemes are regional schemes.
On the renewable Energy front the following has been achieved:-
Planning permission for an 850KW AD plant has been approved on a farm at Fraddon. The farmer is now busy securing the finance required to complete the installation
Under the RDPE the following projects have been approved:-
- 9 farmers working in a co-operative to install 18 x 20Kw wind turbines on their land in North Cornwall.
- 1 farm tourism business installing 1x 20Kw wind turbine
- 1 dairy farm installing 1 x 35Kw wind turbine
- There are a further 3 wind turbine applications under development
- 2 anaerobic digestion projects are undertaking detailed feasibility funding
SWARM will be in place by early 2009. Other activity is on going.
CCC/CSEP funding agreement (by Mar '09):
To facilitate 2MWe of renewable electricity on-farm and 6MWh renewable heat on farm.
PLanning permission is being sought for two AD plants in Cornwall at the moment. Many other farms are investigating small scale wind and biomass.
Delivery of the Wave Hub project - supply chain development; R&D opportunities
Planning consents acquired summer 2007. Four wave energy device developers secured for initial phase. Supply chain events held in the region. PRIMARE research institute established between University of Plymouth & University of Exeter.
Wave Hub to be operational in 2009.