The Rise of Citizen Power Plants in Germany: How do they emerge and spread? Anna Schreuer reports on her research into citizen power in Germany which provides an informative comparison with CISE’s work on community energy in the UK and Finland. Here she provides an introduction to citizen power in Germany and discusses its emergence … Continue reading »
Sabine Hielscher, Gill Seyfang and Adrian Smith from the CISE project have a chapter in a new book on Innovations in Sustainable Consumption. Hielscher, S., Seyfang, G. and Smith, A. (2013) ‘Grassroots Innovations for Sustainable Energy: Exploring niche development processes among community energy initiatives’ in Cohen, M., Brown, H. and Vergragt, P. (eds)Innovations in Sustainable … Continue reading »
January 2013, Sabine Hielscher. The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust is a company limited by guarantee with a charitable status, consisting of an elected board of directors to represent the Isle of Gigha residents. Since its inception, the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust has created three subsidiary trading companies, which operate the island’s commercial activities … Continue reading »
January 2013, Sabine Hielscher. Carbon Rationing Action Groups (CRAGs) are community-based groups who agree to reduce their carbon emissions through the creation of carbon targets. The members of each CRAG decide a carbon target per person at the beginning of the ‘carbon year’ and the price per kg of carbon. Over the year each member … Continue reading »
December 2012, Tom Hargreaves. The Dyfi Solar Club ran from 1998 until 2003, initially part-funded by a broader European Commission funded grant designed to promote community-based renewable energy in the Dyfi valley, Powys, mid-Wales. As a member of the National Network of Solar Clubs, the Dyfi Solar Club sought to make solar hot water heating … Continue reading »
December 2012, Mari Martiskainen. Hyde Farm Climate Action Network (CAN) was set up in 2007 to raise awareness climate change and energy consumption across households in the Hyde Farm estate, Balham, London. The Hyde Farm estate consists of 1,800 residential houses built between 1896 and 1916. The majority of these houses are of Edwardian character, … Continue reading »
November 2012, Tom Hargreaves. Bristol Green Doors is a community interest company that promotes energy efficiency through retrofit measures on existing homes. It does this by organising eco-open homes events in Bristol, in which homes that have already undertaken retrofits – such as installing various forms of insulation or microgeneration systems – are opened … Continue reading »
Community energy has been supported by successive UK governments aiming to harness its potential to support sustainable energy transitions. Our survey of UK community energy groups aims to provide robust evidence of the scope, scale, character, activities and challenges faced by the sector, to support such policymaking. Our research reveals several key issues to be … Continue reading »
Lyndhurst Community Centre was the first community centre in the New Forest to install a biomass heating system, creating also opportunities for local wood fuel supply networks to develop. Continue reading »
October 2012, Sabine Hielscher The South Wheatley wind turbine is a hamlet-based community-owned renewable project located in North Cornwall (set in a labyrinth of narrow lanes near Launceston). The project is run by a Trust, to which members are elected on a yearly basis, and regularly meet up to discuss the project. The Trust has … Continue reading »
