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Friday 18 April 2014

Exeter Community Energy launched

There has been a lot of interest in community energy generally:
Futures Forum: Community Energy Strategy
Futures Forum: "Community energy offers a long-lasting solution that protects against ‘big six’ price rises and pumps money back into local areas.”
Futures Forum: "Support communities who want to install renewable energy systems"
Futures Forum: Community Energy Coalition

... as well as in Sidmouth:
SidEnergy | Home | Sid Valley's community energy cooperative

... and in Exeter:
Futures Forum: Community Energy in Exeter

Now in Exeter, the ecoe has been launched:


Circ_Sunexeter community energy is a new innovative social enterprise that enables local people to take ownership of renewable energy projects.
As a community-owned coop, we want to benefit the city, its people and the environment. One element of this is sharing the financial benefits between shareholders, a fund for community project and investment in further energy projects.
This is just the first step. Community energy projects are making a difference across the country, strengthening communities, helping the local economy and reconnecting people to the energy they use, as they became producers as well as consumers.
Our aim is to bring together people who are interested in building a sustainable future for our community, who care about climate change and the depletion of resources, and who want to reduce fuel bills, promote energy efficiency and address fuel poverty.
We can work together to learn and change the way we produce, use and think about energy, and in doing so create a more sustainable, resilient and prosperous community.


Exeter Community Energy, ECoE, coordinates renewable energy projects

ABOUT ECOE
exeter community energy was established by eight local people in 2013 who were brought together by Transition Exeter‘s energy group. Our vision is for renewable energy projects to bring about practical change in our community by addressing energy related challenges.4circs_01

Our aims:
  • To develop community-owned renewable energy projects in Exeter, which creates a local green energy supply that improves Exeter’s energy security and resilience.
  • To raise awareness of and promote practical, local, low carbon solutions that address the global challenges of our reliance on fossil fuels and the associated climate impact.
  • To facilitate community ownership and active participation that engages and strengthens the local community and its economy through volunteering, investment opportunities and becoming energy producers.
  • To provide finance for re-investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that contributes to addressing fuel poverty.
  • To create a community fund for local community projects.
exeter community energy is registered as an Industrial Provident Society for community benefit.
Our main focus is promoting and developing local community ownership and management of energy projects.
Anyone can buy shares in the company and become a member and each member has one vote irrespective of the number of shares held. We want the whole community to share in the following benefits.
Sustainability: Renewable energy generation makes significant carbon savings for the host building and Exeter, helping to meet Exeter’s sustainability strategy.
Education: Raising awareness of our current energy challenges and the role of renewable energy and energy efficiency can play in developing practical solutions for a low-carbon sustainable future.
Costs: Lowering energy bills by using renewable energy and installing energy efficiency measures.
Visible community-owned assets: Active participation in a genuine and innovative cooperative community initiative that strengthens the local community.
Financial benefits stay local: A fair return for local shareholders, reinvestment in further energy projects and a community fund – all supporting the local community.
Community benefits: The local community becomes an active energy producer of renewable energy rather than only being a passive consumer by setting up and managing inspiring projects.
Read more in our Information Leaflet 
Read more about Co-operative UK Model Rules


ECoE, Exeter Energy Community, is a renewable energy project
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