LEAP community energy case studies: No.3 Polperro United Renewable Energy (PURE)

PURE was formed in 2011 to reduce The big picture carbon emissions, increase energy A group of local people got together in 2011 self-reliance and reduce fuel poverty. to address low carbon living in Polperro, Polperro is a on guided by the Centre for Sustainable Energy’s ‘PlanLoCaL’ tool (a set of community resources Cornwall’s south coast, the parish is for low carbon living). PURE was established as home to about 2,000 people. Energy a community cooperative in 2011 with the aims consumption and fuel poverty are far of: higher than the national and regional Reducing the outflow of money from the averages, due partly to the old, stone parish built houses that form much of the Reducing imported energy Reducing energy inequality housing stock. Funding community projects through energy policies Reducing CO2 emissions.

1 What’s happening now? PURE are working with Polperro Primary School to install a solar PV system, with the installation planned for December 2013. This will be accompanied by a project to invite the pupils to ‘adopt’ a panel, making the project a great educational opportunity. PURE are also planning to work with the school to install LED lighting and investigate biomass heating. The group has had a difficult experience with the RHPP2 project, with poor take up and their key delivery partner going out of business. Key factors included the fact that householders’ investment should be offset by the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI); but the RHI scheme details were not announced as expected, leading to reluctance in people getting involved. There was also a delay following the initial publicity resulting in a loss How it works of momentum. PURE are now considering what In 2012, the group successfully applied for their next steps should be. £48,000 from the Department for Energy and Climate Change under their LEAF (Local Energy Assessment Fund) fund. This was used to hold Why has it worked? a series of events and to complete detailed PURE have achieved a lot in a relatively short studies into the potential for renewable energy period of time and see themselves as being in generation in the parish and how homes could the early stages of working towards low carbon be made more energy efficient. The studies living. The use of LEAF funding to carry out provided an accurate guide for action, leading detailed energy studies has led to a systematic the group to focus on heating, which uses a approach based on a good understanding of high proportion of households’ energy. PURE needs and challenges in the parish. PURE has acted on this by applying for the government’s met with considerable success in winning grant Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP2) funding, but with the RHPP2 project, found that scheme. successful delivery did not necessarily follow.

PURE’s achievements so far (October 2013) £48,000 LEAF funding from DECC leading to a detailed assessment of energy efficiency and renewable energy potential in Polperro Funds raised to install a 29kW solar PV array on the roof of Polperro Community Primary LEAP Cornwall community energy case studies School For further information visit: Secured £126,450 from the RHPP2 scheme www.cornwall.gov.uk/greencornwall for renewable heat in Polperro, , http://www.mypolperro.org/pure/ , and Completion of City & Guilds level 3 Green http://www.planlocal.org.uk/

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