Agenda item

Energy Review: SE24

SE24 have provided the enclosed presentation.

 

Alan Jones, SE24, will present.

 

Charter Schools Educational Trust have provided a briefing.

Minutes:

Alan Jones, chair and co-founder of SE24, provided a presentation, with reference to the PowerPoint circulated with the agenda.

 

The chair then invited questions and the following points were made:

 

·  SE24, like other Community Energy initiatives, are able to work with small and medium schemes which are less commercial viable. Community Energy Community Benefit Companies (Ben Com) are able to tap into funding. In addition SE24 bring experience gathered over the last decade plus local knowledge and relationships in the community, which means they are able to engage with stakeholders and they know where the local need is for community benefit projects, e.g. tackling fuel poverty.

 

·  It is important that the council understand what Community Energy can do in terms of action to deliver low carbon and renewable energy. The present Community Energy references in Climate Action plan are quite tenuous. It is unclear where the funding might come from.  The Carbon Offset fund is potentially a good source and even a small amount of the 2 million in the fund, and approximately 5 million in the pipeline, would help. £1 investment can generate about £7 in other investment. In addition to part funding projects directly, extra money for administration, including for SE24, would enable more capacity to do more publicity and regular engagement. Other authorities have shared the cost of a dedicated officer.

 

·  There are good tools available to bring about more Community Energy, including the GLA rooftops solar tool.

 

·  Dulwich College was quite challenging to work with as the solar project was quite small and therefore low priority as compared to the school's educational operations that took precedence, particularly in regard to providing site access for contractors.  Dulwich College, part of the Dulwich Estate, is taking its environment responsibilities very seriously so that is a relationship worth pursuing.

 

·  The bulk of the investors in Community Energy share offers tended to be higher wealth professionals though there are also a tranche of investors with less income who invested in part for future beneficial benefit. SE24 lowered the investment amount from £500 to £250. Some schemes have gone lower £100 or even £50.

 

·  Members of the commission brought Alan Jones attention to the Green Buildings Fund cabinet report from Cllr Helen Dennis which sets out how the Carbon Offset fund can be utilised. Members advised Allan Jones to attend and make representations to cabinet, if there is still time.

 

·  In response to a question on how the council can get solar going Alan Jones recommended a focus on the school estate, and in particular the Primary School estate where the council has most influence. There are around 39 Primary community schools. He explained that working with schools would entail promoting Community Energy, both solar and LED, to site owners:  from school leaders to governors.  The biggest hurdle is legal so standard leases approved by the Local Authority would very useful. Encouragement from the council to work with Community Energy Ben Coms also would be a big help. 

 

·  There is also a need to identify the  school sites that can be used for solar;  the GLA Solar Map is useful for this and also working with school Estate Officers who can assist with surveying , as they will know the condition of the roof. Some sites will become viable if installation of solar is scheduled at the same as roofs being redone.

 

·  In summary the council can help work with schools by:

 

-  Communicating with schools leaders the benefits of Solar and LED Community Energy

-  Providing standardised legal documents

-  Linking in with school Estate Officers to coordinate surveying.

 

·  In a response to a question on developing the skills and capacity of school Estate Officers to understand solar SE24 said they have an approved list of contractors who are able to install. SE24 could  assemble a short list of professionals who could assist ( in conjunction with other Community Energy Ben Coms ) with undertaking  the technical surveying with input from Estate Officers, who would have the local knowledge on the right buildings. SE24 also have professionals who can help with the legal issues on ownership of buildings and installation.

 

·  Alan Jones was asked what level of employed support is needed to get Community Energy working on the Southwark school estate. He said that given the current capacity of SE24 there would need to be staffing input across various areas including liaison and legal, which would probably be equivalent to one Full Time Worker. He advised that collaboration with another local borough could help if they have existing capacity.

 

·  Members asked why LED, rather than solar, was used in some schools. Alan Jones said there can be a variety of issues that preclude solar: too much of a steep sloping roof, or the wrong aspect, or shading, or obstacles. One school SE24 surveyed would be viable if combined with re-roofing. He added that it is important to maximise energy use by school, so pretty much all can be consumed on site.

 

 

Supporting documents: