Shifting demand to progress local energy - a community endeavour. Dr Mary Gillie

Transcription

1 Shifting demand to progress local energy - a community endeavour Dr Mary Gillie

2 Let s be grateful.we have a very robust, low cost, reliable electricity system. One of the best in the world

3 But To get an low carbon energy system we need: A market that recognises the value of small scale renewables To control and reward demand shifting to balance locally Information from a local level up Meaningful but manageable roles for households and communities in the energy market

4 The EL idea - an example The Bethesda Trial Ynni Ogwen (Ogwen Energy) raised funds for their community-owned hydro. With Energy Local, participants and the hydro form an Energy Local Club. Club members show the amount of power they are using when the hydro is generating with a smart meter. Members agree the price for the hydro they use when it is generating, e.g. 7p/kWh. Households get cheaper power and the hydro receives more money - for the community. Assume 150 domestic members of the club and the hydro is 100kW Domestic custs: 24%, 128 reduction in electricity cost Generator: 32%, 6,400 increase in income Income retained locally: 30,000. It makes renewables viable

5 What do we need and why? Technology and market to match local generation: Helps ensure that the local network is optimised fewer costly upgrades, cheaper connections. We want to move some of this load. to here. Or here solar Helps balance the energy market nationally Rewards renewables for their true value more viable. People can take an active role in managing their energy use but practical.

6 Why Community? We need to share and balance local generation (not just PV on one house) Community level smooths out the spikes of use in one household we don t all use the kettle at the same time. A community likely to use majority of local power My House /04/ :12 07/04/ :00 07/04/ :48 07/04/ :36 07/04/ :24 07/04/ :12 08/04/ :00

7 Why Community? Increases the economic multiplier and keeps more income local. Encourages social cohesion. Peer to peer learning - less scary. Reaches more people not just those who can afford generation.

8 How - practically? Information.

9 How - practically? Shifting non time critical use washing machines, dishwashers, charging batteries we can do a lot without storage. Reduce peak loads e.g. LED lights Use power differently: slow cooking, batch cooking

10 Results of SWELL 48 properties matching rooftop solar ~1kWp/participant 6 electrically heated properties 6p/kWh, Time of Use tariff No changes in bills savings in Coop shopping vouchers

11 May ,124kWh solar power generated; 38% own-use 3,817kWh available for participants without solar panels 3,222kWh used within SWELL; Less than 10% not used locally Total ~11,100kWh demand Power from local generation 29% maximum potential 34%

12 Savings Dec- May against a standard tariff Shared unused solar power 590 earned by homes with PV Savings from use of shared local power 388 saved by those using PV from other homes Savings from time-of-use tariff (demand shift) 1,659

13 We are proving the model in Bethesda EL is being trialled with 100 households and National Trust Hydro then Ynni Ogwen s Once that is proven we want to use this elsewhere. Ethos of knowledge sharing and working together for very one s benefit, everyone contributes what they can this is what community is. Develop a framework of support for EL clubs with and EL Hub to hold generic materials, knowledge forum etc.

14 Building Cathedrals Cathedrals were built for everyone s benefit, not for any one person s gain. They were only built by everyone using their skills working together They were beautiful and useful. Those who laid the foundations didn t see the finished article, their children and their children kept building.

15 Let s build the new cathedrals Let s build for everyone s benefit not just for a return on a share. We can only do this by using everyone s skills and sharing knowledge. Community energy is useful but also enhances out society and the environment. Let s build for now but let s also create an energy system and a society fit to hand on and for our children s & our children s children to build on.