Part of the 'Bringing Power to the People: starting your own community renewable energy project' workshop held at the Transition Network Conference 2012, London, UK. Presented by Chris Rowland of OVESCO, Peter Capener of Bath and West Community Energy, Allan Shepherd, author of "The Home Energy Handbook", and Frank Gordon of Westmill Solar Cooperative. Chaired by Peter Lipman of Transition Network.

1. TT Conference 2012

2. About OVESCO
•Set up by a group of Lewes residents who meet at a Transition Town Lewes
Open Space day in 2006 about energy
•Two companies Ouse Valley Energy Services Co Ltd (2006) and OVESCO
Limited an Industrial & Provident Society for community benefit (2010)

3. Working with Transition Town Lewes and others – energy advice and grants

4. So you want to set up a community energy project?
• Cash
• Confidence
• Commitment
• Community Benefit
You are building a sustainable business for the future
You are looking after peoples hard earned money!
You are creating a new kind of company
REconomy

5. It’s hard work, but it’s also FUN & REWARDING
Share launch night in 2011

6. Our 1st Community energy project Harveys Brewery warehouse PV project
• Successful launch of 1st share issue - raised £356,810 with 247 investors
• The Harveys PV project - 98kWp 545 PV panels – Capital investment £306,000 inc
setup costs – project commissioned 27th July 2011
• Total generation for year 1st year – 92,100 kWh almost reaching our prediction of
92,361 kWh in low a sunlight year for PV generation
• Calculated Income from generation for 1st year - Feed-in-Tariff (£31,088) & Invoiced
export to grid (£) = £357 Total = £31,445
14000
Total Generation:- 92,100 kWh
Used by Harveys:- 73,540 kWh (79%)
12000 18%
Exported:- 19,355 kWh (21%) 17%
17%
10000 31%
Monthly Output (kWh) 27%
8000
21% Export
25%
Harveys Use
6000 82%
83%
83%
23%
69%
4000 73%
75% 14% 79%
9% 7%
77% 7%
2000
86%
91% 93%
45% 93%
55%
0
Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11 Jan-12 Feb-12 Mar-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jun-12 Jul-12
First Year 30th July 2011 - 29th July 2012

7. 2012 Projects – PV is easy to get started on, but watch the incentives (FiT & ROC’s)
More Government policy to support social enterprises would help!
Recent projects installed in July 2012:
•Project 2 - Priory School 35kWp – Supported by the schools Eco Group
•Project 3 - Barcombe Nurseries 9Kwp – On site chillers match PV generation
•Project 4 - Brickyard Farm 19.5kWp – The Secret Campsite & edible garden
Total invested in PV to date for all four projects (161.5kWp) = £416,966
Some of the income is set aside to manage the projects and keep OVESCO in business

8. Income & comparing the projects – Current ROI before project costs
Harveys Priory Brickyard Barcombe
Depot School Farm Nursery
Cost £306,000 £59,833 £33,533 £17,600
Rating 98 kW 35 kW 19.5 kW 9 kW
Predicted 92,300 kWh p.a. 40,580 kWh p.a. 18,525 kWh p.a. 8,216 kWh p.a.
Output
Predicted £31,445 p.a. £6,168 p.a. £2,815 p.a. £1,380 p.a.
Earnings
Return on 10.2% p.a. 10.3% p.a. 8.4% p.a. 7.8% p.a.
Investment

9. What’s next?
• We are currently undertaking a feasibility for a 50-250kWp community wind turbine
identified in LEAF funded report for Barcombe Parish
• We looked at a CHP biomass district heating scheme using LEAF funding
• We are seeking potential sites for a field scale PV array in East Sussex and OVESCO
welcomes land owners to come forward with potential sites of a community project
• We are constantly investigating new locations for potential renewable energy project
• We are working with other communities to share knowledge and skills to develop
community projects with a financial return on investment
• We have continued to support the local community with advices on energy efficiency

10. Some barriers, questions and solutions
• The Feed-inTariff is amazing, but cut backs have seen it’s potential eroded especially
for community energy projects. The industry has shrunk in size!
• We need clear policy and stability - December 2011!
• Is the Government committed to community lead renewable energy?
• Look at what Germany has done with the Feed-in Tariff, 25% of day time electricity
from PV one day in the summer!
• Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and community? Woolhope Woodheat is one
example!
• How do we scale up?
• Switch suppliers – Friends of the Earth Campaign support Good Energy & Ecotrcity
• A voice for community energy projects – Community Energy Network?

11. This is only the beginning for us
You need support? OVESCO has been working with

12. Do it yourself peoples power stations!
How can we help you?
www.ovesco.co.uk