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Local Energy Vision and Action Plan Draft May 2011

This document presents a draft vision and action plan to make the Dunbar area more resilient and sustainable by 2025. It focuses on reducing energy demand through energy efficiency upgrades to existing buildings and building new structures to high efficiency standards. Renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, biomass from local woodlands, and anaerobic digestion of food waste are proposed to meet remaining needs. Challenges around financing energy upgrades, skilled labor, and developing local renewable supply chains are discussed along with potential solutions like a community loan fund and training programs. Residents provided input through surveys expressing a desire for more locally produced food, active transportation, employment opportunities, and energy efficient, comfortable homes.

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Susan Guy
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
73 views7 pages

Local Energy Vision and Action Plan Draft May 2011

This document presents a draft vision and action plan to make the Dunbar area more resilient and sustainable by 2025. It focuses on reducing energy demand through energy efficiency upgrades to existing buildings and building new structures to high efficiency standards. Renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, biomass from local woodlands, and anaerobic digestion of food waste are proposed to meet remaining needs. Challenges around financing energy upgrades, skilled labor, and developing local renewable supply chains are discussed along with potential solutions like a community loan fund and training programs. Residents provided input through surveys expressing a desire for more locally produced food, active transportation, employment opportunities, and energy efficient, comfortable homes.

Uploaded by

Susan Guy
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sustaining Dunbar: Draft Dunbar and District Local Resilience Vision and Action Plan

Energy
Dunbar 2025 –Local Resilience Action Plan

This is a DRAFT vision for 2025 and an action plan for getting us there. The action plan builds on local survey findings in which over 1500 residents in the Dunbar and East
Linton ward area have been interviewed. These surveys have highlighted a strong desire to be able to source more locally produced food, live in more comfortable and energy
efficient homes in neighbourhoods which are safe and attractive to walk and cycle around, for increased opportunities for local employment….and much more. The surveys
have also highlighted the many barriers which currently prevent us all from doing many of these things.

What is this all about?

We live in interesting times!

 In the next fifteen years, because of the decline in world oil production, as well as the need to meet Scottish Government Climate Change targets, we will need to at least
halve our fossil fuel consumption. That means each of us reducing our consumption by about 5% per year, every year.
 As oil production declines, we can expect the oil price to increase and to become increasingly volatile and for supplies to be subject to disruption. Major changes (at the
very least) to the workings of the global economy will be inevitable.
 We can also expect an increasing number of extreme weather events due to the raised level of energy in the atmosphere as average global temperatures increase.

Given these challenges, what will this locality look like in 2025? How can we empower ourselves to build a vibrant low-carbon economy for the Dunbar area which is resilient
enough to cope with the challenges that we will face?

The Action Plans will show how we might start creating a more localised, vibrant and resilient local economy which can not only help us to cope with the major challenges
which lie ahead but which, we believe, can create significant opportunities –for meaningful work, to develop new skills, to strengthen community networks and working to
enhance the local environment.

Please take a look. What do you agree with? What do you disagree with? What have we missed out? Please add your comments and ideas using the ‘leave a reply’ section under
each post/page. Thank-you!
Sustaining Dunbar: Draft Dunbar and District Local Resilience Vision and Action Plan

Energy Vision

How will we make sure that the lights don’t go out and that everyone in the Dunbar area can keep warm in 2025? Where will the electricity to run our appliances and
communication systems come from? How will local businesses and farms meet their energy needs and how will we travel where we need to while using 50% less fossil fuel?

By 2025 our demand for energy will need to have greatly reduced. We will need to make much more efficient use of the energy that is available and we will need to be making
much more use of renewable sources of heat and electricity. To ensure resilience, we will need a diversity of supply and a range of local energy sources that are under local
control.

All new homes and workspace will be built to Passivhaus standards while a major programme of refurbishment will be underway to drastically cut energy consumption in our
existing building stock. Renewable sources of heat will be in common use. In rural areas, biomass heating (using firewood, wood pellet or woodchip) will be common. Existing,
often neglected, woodlands will be managed to ensure a local timber supply while maximising firewood production. New woodland will be established on marginal land and as
shelterbelts on farms. There will increasingly be a return to traditional coppicing. A local supply chain will be in place to manufacture and supply pellets and woodchip locally
and to make use of local waste wood and sawdust. Farms will supply their own energy needs and most will be net exporters of energy. Several villages will have installed
district heating schemes.

Green gas from anaerobic digestors fed with food waste will supply the local gas grid. Electricity will mostly come from wind turbines. Many will be in community ownership
and will also generate income for community investment, particularly in energy efficiency measures. Suitable south facing roofs will be used for photovoltaics and solar hot
water. Small scale hydro power will be in use where possible, especially along the Tyne near East Linton. Dunbar and District will be a net exporter of electricity but, when
necessary, will be able to draw energy from the grid which will be increasingly fed from tidal and wave power, as well as offshore windpower. Large offshore windfarms will
have been constructed off the coast and their maintenance will be important for the local economy.

Where electricity is used for heating it will mostly be used to power heat pumps, transferring heat from the air, ground or water. Smart grids and appliances will help match
electrical supply and demand while smart meters will ensure that householders can easily monitor and control their consumption. When surplus electricity is available, it will
be used to charge electric vehicles and to heat water in thermal stores.

Some Energy Challenges (and notes towards solutions)


1. Current energy demand is very high with inefficient building stock and increasing fuel bills. Most householders are keen to upgrade their homes so as to use less energy and to
make them cheaper to heat and more comfortable to live in. Many would also like to install renewable technologies such as photo-voltaics or solar hot water. However, they face
several barriers, including the upfront cost, lack of clear and impartial information and advice and lack of accredited local trades people. Very many properties in the Dunbar area
could be classed as ‘hard to treat’, often with solid stone walls and very poor air-tightness even in modern properties. Many are in conservation areas or are listed. Upgrading most
properties to substantially reduce their energy consumption will typically require an investment of upwards of £5,000 while installing photovoltaics costs at least £10,000. While
there is a lot of information available about home energy efficiency, much of it is confusing and contradictory and is too generalised to be very useful. Government grants are very
restricted and energy initiatives come and go and provide little incentive to act now. It can be very difficult for householders to find local trades people to carry out the range of
measures required, from basic draught stripping and loft insulation through to window refurbishment and wall insulation. There is a lack of (MCS) registered micro-renewables installers in this part of
Scotland.

The BeGreen energy advice service is already providing free home energy advice, including a home energy audit service. While this enables householders to access clear and independent advice, there is no
assurance of long term funding for the home energy audit service and without access to finance and suitable trades people, implementation of the recommended energy efficiency measures will be limited. We
Sustaining Dunbar: Draft Dunbar and District Local Resilience Vision and Action Plan

need to find a way of providing an integrated service to householders which provides access to expert advice along with easy finance and coordination and accreditation of trades people and contractors. This
could take the form of a revolving community loan fund, with repayments made from savings in energy bills and a social enterprise providing coordination of advice and installation of energy saving measures.
Where appropriate, photovoltaics (PVs) may be installed to give the benefit of free daytime electricity to fuel-poor households while generating income from feed-in-tariffs to be reinvested in local energy
reduction measures. There may be a need for additional skills training for local trades people and assistance to enable local contractors to become accredited installers of micro-renewables. There is a need to
extend an energy advice service to local businesses.

2. The vast majority of households currently rely on fossil fuel to provide heating. In urban areas, most households are connected to the gas grid although a substantial number rely
on electric heating. In rural areas, a few households use firewood for most of their heating needs but the majority rely on oil, lpg, electricity or coal. At current levels of demand it
requires at least one hectare of land to provide firewood for one house. Many local woodlands are neglected or poorly managed and most farmers have little interest in woodland
management. There is a limited local supply of firewood and woodchip while wood pellets are either imported or transported from Invergordon.

In order to decarbonise our heating, it will be necessary first to substantially reduce heat demand. Even then, it will only be possible for a minority to use local sources of firewood for all
their heating needs. Others will need to rely on renewable electricity or green gas from anaerobic digestors. Renewable electricity will be best used to run heat pumps to provide background heat, perhaps with
small wood or pellet stoves supplying supplementary heating. People will need to get used to being more energy aware, to dressing more warmly in winter and to zoning their homes to only heat those rooms
which really need to be heated. There will be scope for developing local enterprises as part of a local fuelwood supply chain, from woodland management through to harvesting, seasoning and supply of logs as
well as recycling of waste wood and sawdust into woodchip and wood pellet. This will be encouraged by the implementation of the Renewable Heat Incentive but there may be a need to support and provide
training for landowners and others. There is a need to assess the potential for generating green gas from anaerobic digestors fed with local food waste. In some areas it will be viable to install district heating
schemes, particularly in rural settlements where communities could form their own Energy Supply Company and woodchip could be supplied from local farms.

3. A large proportion of buildings in the Dunbar and East Linton ward are either listed or are in conservation areas. This severely restricts what is currently permitted in terms of
eco-refurbishment and installation of micro-renewables. Current local planning policies do not give any preferential support to community ownership of wind turbines or other
larger scale renewable generation capacity.

There is a need to review how planning policies and designations could be reframed or relaxed to enable upgrading of energy efficiency standards of buildings in conservation areas.
Could acceptance of an alternative aesthetic enable external insulation of properties in these areas? There is a need for research and exemplars of how internal wall insulation can be
installed such that long term damage to the building fabric is avoided. Visually acceptable ways of integrating solar panels into roofs on the front elevation of properties in conservation
areas need to be agreed. Community ownership and control of local renewable generating capacity needs to be encouraged through the development of appropriate planning guidance to
make this a ‘material consideration’ for planning purposes.

4. Current energy supply is almost totally dependent on large energy companies with no local ownership or control. There is a disconnection between local demand and local supply.
The resilience of the current energy systems is outwith local control.

There needs to be an assessment of the overall potential for local energy supply from renewable sources and the extent to which this can meet or exceed local demand. Community owned
renewable generating capacity needs to be established with profits invested in local low carbon infrastructure. A diversity of energy supply, from biomass, wind, sun and water at a range
of scales (from large, megawatt installations to household scale) needs to be encouraged so as to build local resilience in case of disruption to the national grid infrastructure
Sustaining Dunbar: Draft Dunbar and District Local Resilience Vision and Action Plan
What resources
are needed to Activities Participation Local Energy Milestones
Energy Situation be able to make What needs to be done? Who needs to be involved?
change? Short term Medium Term Long term
now 5 years 10 years 15+ years
A. Raise awareness of local
There are barriers from the implications of peak oil
consumer’s point of view: Local energy demand Most of the barriers Change to more local
B. Ensure that local renewable reduction and renewable for and diverse energy
1. Cost: of energy efficiency
measures and installation of
energy production and decrease of energy production is part householders/busines sources
micro-renewables considered consumption is part of the ELC of the ELC Single Outcome ses to reduce energy
expensive, S.O. A. Agreement. demand and install local demand tailored
2. Availability: limited C. Ensure ELC develops and renewables have been to local supply
availability of expert, impartial, implements a Local Energy Policy SOA shapes enabling removed
policies By 2025 we are
personalised energy advice; D. Identify the constraints and
Range of community more locally
little information about the opportunities which exist in ELC ELC has a Local Energy
local impacts of peak oil; lack
energy initiatives resilient because we
Planning Policy Policy functioning effectively have a diversity of
of MCS registered installers
Evidence E. Encourage and incentivise energy supply and
and trusted trades people
600+ local people
Aim sustainable, relocalised energy Aligned ELC planning policy Pilot projects are set
can meet our
3. Lack of time: to think about with incentives and targets
and organise installation of throughout ward 7 By 2025 we production. up and demonstrating
energy needs by
are more F. Make it easier for communities to a range of renewable
energy efficiency measures, have indicated that The issues preventing using 50% less fossil
energy technologies
find local joiners etc. they do want to be locally Policy install community owned ELC, householders/businesses fuels.
renewables Consumers, from making their buildings
4. Lack of ownership: e.g. of able to be more resilient Legislation
Farmers,
Education and skills
sites for wind turbines and SOA G. Identify the barriers to reducing more energy efficient have training exists (eco
energy efficient but because we Businesses,
been identified
other energy sources; the existing Incentives building energy demand Schools refurbishment,
problems faced by tenants
have a Grants renewables, etc.)
barriers do not H. To find ways of making finance An action plan for meeting
5. Existing regulations: limit diversity of Researchers
available on easy terms e.g. green
make it easy for ELC staff local energy needs from
what is permitted in energy supply mortgages local resources exists
conservation areas, restrict
them to do so. Farmers
Interviews with
and can meet Teachers I. To identify opportunities for
siting of turbines etc.
Overall situation is: local farmers. our energy Public education and skills training in low It is easier for
needs using demand householders/businesses
6. A disconnection between local Interviews with energy building and
to reduce energy demand
energy needs and local energy ELC. 50% less refurbishment, renewable
and install renewables
production. Research into fossil fuels technologies incl. fuel wood supply
7. Current energy supply is very chain. People are more aware
published and than we do in
dependent on cheap oil and J. Set up pilot demonstration local about the local impacts of
unpublished 2010.
other fossil fuels energy projects peak oil
information.
8. Payments for energy almost all
K. Analysis of local renewable energy
leave local economy as energy Exemplar eco
potential refurbishment projects in
supply companies all
externally owned
L. Provide advice and information on existing housing stock
9. Demand for energy is high energy efficiency, energy reduction,
10. Confusing and constantly and installation of renewables.
changing Government M. Analysis of local demand and needs.
incentives and grants Household, business, school, farms,
External Factors
What will make this work: What will prevent this from working:
fishing etc.
East Lothian Council have: East Lothian Council do not have:
N. Develop Action Plans for local
 enabling policies in place  Policy will be enabling and in place
renewable energy  Joined up Planning  Joined up Planning
Legislation will be enforcing positive Legislation will be enforcing positive change
Assumptions change Farmers and consumers are not welcoming of
East Lothian Council will agree and align: Farmers and consumers are not welcoming this change.
 Policy will be enabling and in place of this change. Funding is not available to enable Research,
Funding is not available to enable Technology and Skills Development.
 Joined up Planning
Research, Technology and Skills
Legislation will be enforcing positive change
Development.
Farmers and consumers will be welcoming of this change
Funding will be available to enable Research, Technology and Skills Development
Sustaining Dunbar: Draft Dunbar and District Local Resilience Vision and Action Plan

Energy
What needs What barriers will be How to do it? Who : Who: East Who: Local When: short term & When: medium term & When: long term &
to be done? addressed? Scottish Lothian level action Milestones Milestones Milestones
See list attached Government Council
A. Raise 6,5, 9, 8, 10 1. Present action plan and findings 1 1 1 Present ELC has a Local Energy Policy
awareness of the to Gov. and East Lothian Council.
People are more aware about
local implications 2. More in education curriculum 2 2 2 Propose
the local impacts of peak oil
of peak oil about Peak Oil and implications.
3. Website, films, communicate 3
about Peak Oil and enable people to
consider the implications for
themselves.
B. Ensure that 5,6,7,9 4. Feed action plans into the SOA 4 4 Local energy demand
local renewable process 5 reduction and renewable
energy production 5. Carry on participating in the 6 energy production is part of
is part of the ELC Environment Forum. the ELC Single Outcome
Agreement.
Single Outcome 6. Brief ELC Chief Exec. about the
Agreements. above.
C. Ensure that ELC As above 7. Monitor ELC policy development. 7 7 SOA shapes enabling policies Most of the barriers for
develops and householders/businesses
ELC has a Local Energy Policy to reduce energy demand
implements local
energy policies. and install renewables
have been removed

D. Identify the 5,11 8. Research to what extent does 8 8 Research Aligned ELC planning policy Most of the barriers for
constraints and current planning policy enable or with incentives and targets householders/businesses
opportunities prevent positive changes. to reduce energy demand
which exist in ELC and install renewables
have been removed
planning policies

E. Encourage and 1,2,4,7,8 9. Communicate and encourage the 9 Finance to 9 9 It is easier for Most of the barriers for Change to more local
incentivise actions above and advise and assist Community householders/businesses to householders/businesses and diverse energy
sustainable people to take action. Energy reduce energy demand and to reduce energy demand sources
relocalisation of Scotland install renewables and install renewables
have been removed
local energy
production
Sustaining Dunbar: Draft Dunbar and District Local Resilience Vision and Action Plan

What needs What barriers will be How to do it? Who : Who: East Who: Local When: short term & When: medium term & When: long term &
to be done? addressed? Scottish Lothian level action Milestones Milestones Milestones
See list attached Government Council
F. Make it easier 1,2,3,4 11. Through the planning policies, 11 Finance 11 Policy 11 Support and assist Range of community Change to more local
for communities financial and tech assistance needed Community alignment communities energy initiatives and diverse energy
to install Energy functioning effectively sources
community owned Scotland Pilot projects are set up local demand tailored to
renewables. and demonstrating a local supply
range of renewable
energy technologies By 2025 we are more
locally resilient
because we have a
diversity of energy
supply and can meet
our energy needs by
using 50% less fossil
fuels.

G. Identify the all 12. Consolidate and analyse existing 13 12 X Local demand tailored to
barriers to knowledge through facilitating 13 x local supply
reducing building meeting with Energy Auditors.
energy demand 13. Meetings with ELC learn what
they are doing and to coordinate
action.

H. To find ways of 1,11 13. Sustaining Dunbar is currently UK Green EL Green 13 It is easier for Most of the barriers for Change to more local
making finance developing a plan for a community Deal Deal householders/businesses to householders/businesses and diverse energy
available on easy controlled revolving loan fund in reduce energy demand and to reduce energy demand sources
terms e.g. Green conjunction with East Lothian install renewables and install renewables
have been removed
Mortgages Council Exemplar eco-
refurbishment projects in
existing housing stock.
I. To identify 2,7,8,10 14. Facilitated meeting with 14 X Education and skills
opportunities for BeGreen and Energy Auditors to 15 X training exists (eco
education and identify what is going to be needed. 16 X refurbishment,
skills training in 15. Research into local renewable renewables, etc.)
low energy potential.
building and 16. Develop Action Plans for
refurbishment, realising the opportunities we have.
renewable
technologies
including fuel
wood chain supply
Sustaining Dunbar: Draft Dunbar and District Local Resilience Vision and Action Plan

What needs What barriers will be How to do it? Who : Who: East Who: Local When: short term & When: medium term & When: long term &
to be done? addressed? Scottish Lothian level action Milestones Milestones Milestones
See list attached Government Council
J. Set up pilot 2,7,8,9,10 16. Community owned wind 16 x Pilot projects are set up
demonstration turbines PV on houses, exemplar eco 17 and demonstrating a
local energy refurbish of houses. Dunbar range of renewable
projects. 17. Secure resources to develop. Community energy technologies
Energy
Company/
Begreen
K. Analysis of local 7,8,9 18. Desk study to map what and 18 X by end of 2011
renewable where the resources are: wind, sun/
resources solar, water, biomass/ fuelwood,
potential food waste/ green gas. Incl. what is
the sustainable yield potential for
wood e.g. bring existing woodland
into better management and use
more traditional coppicing.
L. Provide advice 2,3,7,8,10 19. Maintain and develop the 19 People are more aware about
and information BeGreen services and extend to the local impacts of peak oil
on energy business and ELC (sell services to
It is easier for
efficiency, energy fund local service). householders/businesses to
reduction and reduce energy demand and
installation of install renewables
renewables.

M. Analysis of 20. Develop model project and 20 Pilot projects are set up
local demand and understand what implications are. and demonstrating a
needs. Household, range of renewable
business, schools, energy technologies
farms, fishing etc.
N. Develop Action 21. Analysis of local renewable 21 An Local Energy Action Plan
Plans for local resources potential and Analysis of is in place.
renewable energy local demand and needs.
Household, business, schools,
farms, fishing etc. In place

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