Agenda Item No: 14 Report No: CD5/13 URGENT ITEM Eden District Council Executive 8 January 2013 Germany Renewables Skills Visit Reporting Officer: Communities Director Responsible Portfolio: Environment 1 Purpose of Report 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek permission for the Environment Portfolio Holder to attend Cumbria Action for Sustainability’s (CAfS) Germany Renewables Skills Visit. 2 Recommendation: It is recommended that the Environment Portfolio Holder attend CAfS’ Germany Renewables Skills Visit as an Approved Duty at a cost to the Council of £65.00 to be met from existing budgets. 3 Report Details 3.1 CAfS is seeking eight 'Renewable Energy Ambassadors' to accompany them on a six day visit to the German state of Saxony from 27 January – 1 February 2013. The Environment Portfolio Holder, Cllr Mike Tonkin has expressed a wish to attend and has submitted an application to CAfS as the deadline for applications was 19 December 2012. Successful applicants will be informed in early January. 3.2 The visit is officially known as; AGREASE - ‘Anglo-German Rural Energy Skills Exchange.’ It is an RDPE funded project, focussing on renewable energy, which seeks to promote knowledge and skills transfer between England and Germany. It is hoped that the project will help speed up the adoption of low carbon energy technologies within Cumbria, and principally in the RDPE LEADER defined Solway, Border and Eden area. 3.3 During the trip the ambassadors will learn about the renewables sector in Germany - which technologies are popular, how the market has evolved and how government policy has encouraged the take up of renewable energy. On their return, the ambassadors will need to share what they have learned, in a bid to increase the take up of renewable energy in the region and encourage the development of new businesses in the sector. 1 3.4 The skills visit is open to those who work in the field of renewable energy, are thinking of entering the sector or those who can demonstrate a keen interest in renewable technologies either professionally or through involvement in community projects. All participants must be based in the Solway Border and Eden area and Eden District falls within this boundary. 3.5 The skills visit involves an intensive itinerary, shown at Appendix A. 3.6 Per the members’ Scheme of Allowances the following is an Approved Duty Attendance by a member of the Executive at any meeting or event (authorised by the Executive) at which the Member is, or would be representing, the Council or its interests. Therefore Executive approval is required for the proposed trip. 4 Policy Framework 4.1 The Council has four corporate priorities which are: Housing Quality Environment Economic Vitality Quality Council 4.2 This report meets the ‘Quality Environment’ corporate priority 4.3 This report addresses the ‘Support the clean and green agenda’ strategic action in the Corporate Plan. 5 Implications 5.1 Legal 5.1.1 There are no legal implications in this report. 5.2 Financial 5.2.1 Any decision to reduce or increase resources must be made within the context of the Council’s stated priorities as set out in its refreshed corporate plan. 5.2.2 The visit to Germany is 95% funded by the Rural Development Programme for England. Each participant is asked to contribute £65.00 towards the cost of the trip and will also be responsible for providing their own travel insurance. The £65.00 contribution will be met from the members’ travel budgets and the Environment Portfolio Holder will be using his own personal travel insurance. 5.3 Equality and Diversity 5.3.1 The Council has to have regard to the elimination of unlawful discrimination and harassment and the promotion of equality under the Equality Act 2010 and related statutes. 5.3.2 There are no equality and diversity implications in this report. 2 5.4 Environmental 5.4.1 The Council has to have due regard to conserving bio-diversity under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. 5.4.2 Participation in the visit will potentially result in carbon reductions as the purpose is to increase the take up of renewable energy in the region and encourage the development of new businesses in the sector. 5.5 Crime and Disorder 5.5.1 Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 the Council has to have regard to the need to reduce crime and disorder in exercising any of its functions. 5.5.2 There are no implications for crime and disorder in this report. 5.6 Children 5.6.1 Under the Children Act 2004 the Council has to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the exercise of any of its functions. 5.6.2 There are no implications for children in this report. 5.7 Risk Management 5.7.1 Risk Management is a process whereby attempts are made to identify, actively control and reduce risk to protect the council. This covers not only the traditional areas of insurable risk but also the organisational risk that the council faces in undertaking all its activities. 5.7.2 There are no risks for the Council in this report. 6 Reasons for Decision/Recommendation 6.1 The Germany Renewables Skills Visit would increase the understanding and skills base of the Council with regard to renewables. It would also strengthen the Council’s participation as a partner in the SustainEden project and help to build good working relationships with CAfS and other stakeholders attending as ambassadors. Ruth Atkinson Communities Director Governance Checks: Checked by or on behalf of the Chief Finance Officer ✓ Checked by or on behalf of the Monitoring Officer ✓ Background Papers: Contact Officer: Deborah Garnett , Senior Communities Officer Telephone Number: ext 2268 3 Appendix A AGRESE PROGRAMME This project is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and administered by DEFRA: Europe investing in rural areas. Day 1 - Introduction Travel and Arrival in Pressel, Saxony, Germany Evening Event Introductory meeting of the trip to go through the programme of events We will also welcome a local Energy Consultant from the Saxony Region who will give a presentation on the current state of the German renewable energy market. Day 2 - Solar Whilst solar PV technology is commonly used in both the UK and Germany, the German market is, without doubt, more mature and years ahead of the UK. Therefore, the aim of the visits and meetings relating to this technology is not just to see the technology in action but also, and perhaps more importantly, to learn of the challenges the German market has faced in the post-FiTs phase and to understand how manufacturers and installers have adapted their businesses in a changing marketplace. Visit Solar Park Laußig I & II - Commissioned 2011 Max output 1.5mWp This is one of several large solar power stations in the Saxony region. The visit will enable the ambassadors to see at first-hand the scale of such an installation and learn about the economics of operating solar power on such a scale. Solar PV producer There are several solar PV producers in the region who have struggled in recent years due to increased foreign competition and changes in legislation. Our visit will provide an opportunity to learn about market changes, why they have had problems and how they have overcome or adapted to them. Evening Event - Solar PV Installer Talk The aim of this event is not just to learn about the technical aspects of PV, but more importantly to learn how installers have adapted to a changing marketplace and how they have grown their businesses. Day 3 - Wood/Biomass One clear area of commonality between the SBE area and the Dübener Heide/Saxony Region is the availability of wood as a source of energy in rural areas which are off grid for mains gas. Also, both regions incorporate large areas of parkland (Lake District National Park/Dübener Heide Nature Park) which, due to their protected nature, present additional challenges to the management and harvesting of wood as a fuel source. Forestry Meeting with Forestry experts from the Dübener Heide Nature Park to learn about sustainable forestry and supplying wood as a fuel to both domestic and commercial 1 customers. The Dübener Heide is an important recreation area for the residents of nearby towns and is holds the status of a protected park land. Small scale wood production Local firewood producer Raik Zenger provides wood fuel for the domestic market. We will learn about his business model and how he sees the market for wood fuel developing in the future. This visit will be combined with a visit to a forest area where it is possible to cut your own wood for domestic use. It is common practice in Germany for people to cut and season their own firewood on an annual basis. This model does not exist on a large scale in the UK and there are potential opportunities to emulate and adapt it for the UK market (e.g. shared ownership of woodlands, community wood growing etc.). Wood fired power stations Stadtwerke Leipzig GmbH, Biomasseheizkraftwerk Wittenberg and Biomasse Heizkraftwerk Delitzsch Visits to two large biomass power stations. Prior to opening the Wittenberg biomass power station the Stadtwerke Leipzxig made a voluntary commitment to the representatives of the Dübener Heide Nature Park that no extra wood would be felled to provide fuel for the power station: only naturally felled wood, waste wood and wood harvested through normal forest management would be used. Delitzsch is a 20 mW Biomass Power station.