Community Energy England: CEE newsletter

[Rajiv Chelani]

Hello,

Community Energy England is a not for profit membership organisation promoting renewable energy.

Here is a recent newsletter from them. some of you may be interested in this.

Pl. let us know if you'd like to removed from the Transition Town Maidenhead mailing list.

Regards

Rajiv

 

CEE Newsletter early July 2014

CEE membership and governance

Membership of the association has increased by 30% since our last newsletter just three weeks ago and we are now almost 90. Please do recommend CEE to any organisations with interests in the community energy sector.

As mentioned in the last newsletter, a new board will be elected by the membership in the autumn. If you are interested in putting your (or any other member representative’s) name forward, applications are now open here.

Our bank account has at last been opened, so members who need to pay can expect an invoice soon.

Policy and consultation responses

See our letter to DECC Secretary of State, Ed Davey here.

We have drafted initial responses to the two DECC consultations, both of which close on 7^th July. Please look at the draft responses:

on Community FiTs here; and

on changes to support for solar power here

We know that DECC’s cost template is ludicrously over the top, but would still appreciate any members who can complete any part of it. If not, please at least look at our draft against B20 in the first response above and send us your suggestions and additions.

A first draft of the manifesto is starting to take shape – more details in the next newsletter.

The Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates industrial and provident societies, is trying to change its approach to the registration of new societies. If they continue with this, it will be virtually impossible to register community energy generation projects as co-operative societies in future. We believe this is both unhelpful and inconsistent with the previous approach, so we are attending a meeting with FCA next week – and if necessary will then make representations to DECC too.

Other news

DECC has now invited tenders for the administration of the Urban Community Energy Fund – see here.

Our member Northern Powergrid is leading on a new programme on Community Energy in the North East, Yorkshire, the Humber and north Lincolnshire. See details here and contact Ross Weddle for more information.

In May 2014 the European Commission issued a decision approving the expansion of GIB’s activities. The approval came in three parts. It cleared an additional £800m for financial year 2015-16 allocated to GIB by the UK Government in the spending round which concluded in summer 2013. It approved GIB extending its investment activities to finance community scale renewable projects. The Commission decision also allows GIB to mobilise third party capital through a new asset management vehicle focused initially on operating offshore wind farms. These latter two new areas will be a major focus of GIB activity in 2014-15. See page 22 of GIB Annual report.

Future events

The next board meeting is on 24^th July in Birmingham.

The first short Annual General Meeting of CEE is expected to be in Oxford on 4^th September, between the DECC Community Energy Conference and the proposed awards dinner. The main item of business will be the election of directors, as noted above.

We are planning an event on shared ownership during Community Energy Fortnight, probably on 16^th or 18^th September in London. Further details as they become available.

Future newsletters

If you know of others in your organisation who would like to see these newsletters, or you don’t want to receive them in future, please email us.