Researchers from Harvard University in the US have developed a battery that uses a common food additive to enable abundant solar and wind power to be stored cheaply and safely in homes and offices.
Such batteries could be used to save and store surplus wind and solar power, which could then be used at times when neither form of renewable energy can deliver.
Read the full report here
Most electricity in the world is produced using steam to push turbines, which generate power by transforming kinetic energy into electricity within a generator. Electricity is thus inextricably linked to movement and to heat, and there are many resources on our planet with which we can produce renewable energy beyond the near-ubiquitous solar, wind, and hydro.
Read the full report here
The news that funding is to be made available for the development of geothermal energy in Cornwall has been hailed as a major breakthrough by the Eden Project and its partner EGS Energy Ltd.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has just released a call for proposals for £10.6m of funding from the European Regional Development Fund.
Alongside Cornwall-based EGS Energy, the Eden Project has been actively campaigning for funding for its planned geothermal power plant on its site, a former China Clay quarry at Bodelva near St Austell. It would be the first of its kind in the UK.
Read the full report here.
We’re all spending a lot of money on heating and powering our homes (around £16m per year, or £44,000 a day across the Tavistock area). With much of this spend going to the big power companies the majority of the benefit leaves our local economy like a leaking bucket.
By working together we can start to stem this flow in a number of ways:
Find out more about the local opportunities we’ve identified by checking out the Tavistock and District Local Economic Blueprint (LEB) Energy report. Download here or check out information about the LEB here.
Check out what we’re delivering on the ground:
If you’re interested in getting involved please let us know.
To see what others are achieving across Devon check out the Devon Community Energy Impact Report 2018.
Tamar Energy Community is a Community Benefit Society, registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 31st July 2014 as a Registered Society. Our registration number is 32455R (Companies House refer to us as IPO32455).
We are governed by Our Rules and by the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.
Our Accountants are Westerly Chartered Accountants.
Registered Address: 24 Orchard Road, Wrafton, Braunton, Devon, EX33 2DZ.
For year to 5th April 2017 are available here.
For year to 5th April 2018 are available here.
For year to 5th April 2019 are available here.
We have a voluntary Board of Directors:
Details here.
In this months newsletter get the latest update on our community share offer, find out how the Moroccan’s are supplying renewable electricity to a million people and read all about the upcoming celebration of local food, growing and cooking at Tavistock College.
Click here to see the newsletter.
The solar thermal plant at Ouarzazate will harness the Sun’s warmth to melt salt, which will hold its heat to power a steam turbine in the evening.
The first phase will generate for three hours after dark; the last stage aims to supply power 20 hours a day.
It is part of Morocco’s pledge to get 42% of its electricity generation from renewables by 2020.
Read the full report here
We are still waiting for an update on finalising the lease for the shop but we’re hoping to bring you some good news very soon.
In the meantime if anyone out there can help us to source the following items we’d be very grateful!
If you have any of these items or anything else you think might be useful please get in touch.
On this page we’ve put together a host of information you can use to make your home warmer. From insulation to central heating, we’ve got it all! And don’t forget, for more information you can pop into the Town Shop and speak to one of our Energy experts who will be pleased to help.
There are many different ways for you to become involved with Tamar Energy Community.
Why not come along to one of our Green Drink events to meet like minded people and learn more.
You could also volunteer and/or train to become an Energy Advisor
Or simply Join TEC for £1 and help us to make the Tamar Valley a sustainable and energy efficient place to live powered by locally generated energy!
We’re also keen to hear from people with their own ideas for projects and things they can teach us and/or people who’d like to collaborate.
If you’ve got something you’d like to share or a project you’d like to run please get in touch and we’ll give you all the support we can to make it a reality.
And check out our vacancy for Home Energy Advisors here. Apply by Sunday March 20th.
Our Energy Story charts how our community has used energy over the years; from the very first street lights to instant lights at the flick of a switch. But in a world where burning fossil fuels is leading to climate change and where many members of our society face fuel poverty are there lessons we can learn from our past to give us a brighter energy future for tomorrow? The following slides illustrate how the Tamar Valley has generated it’s own energy in the past and how doing so again may be the best solution for our future.
