View this email in your browser
Season's Greetings from SELCE
**We would like to thank you for your ongoing support of Selce's activities and as another busy year comes to a close, here is the latest news.........
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year!**
The SELCE Team
New Solar Projects Energy Cafes ECO Blitz Awards
SELCE featured in Podcast New Website Greenwich Energy Heros New Team Members
Three New Solar Projects in the pipeline
With the end of the government support scheme - the feed-in-tariff - in sight, we decided to push for some last solar installations before we move our work to focus on post-subsidy business models.
Our tech star, Clare, managed to submit three grant funding applications to the London Community Energy Fund (LCEF) and we have recently received news that all our applications have been successful.
This grant funding will allow us to conduct feasibility studies into three sites, with view to installing two of them before the closure of the Feed-in-Tariff in April 2019.
Benefits for the host sites include:
- Reduced energy bills
- Helping people and planet by contributing to non-polluting electricity generation
- Increased green kudos
- Surplus from the project will go to supporting Selce's fuel poverty reduction initiatives
The sites are...
Haddonhall and Deptford Housing Coops,
Deptford
Haddonhall Residents' TMO
Built in 1979, the estate comprises 169 dwelling. In 2004, the TMO was re-launched to ensure a group of committed local residents were able to keep alive the tradition of tenant management on the estate which stretches back to 1983.
Deptford Housing Co-op
The Co-op was opened in 1977 and residents take responsibility for their own finances including rent collection and control.
SELCE will be working with both to find ways to use solar energy to benefit residents.
Big Impact over Coffee and Cake - Energy Cafe Success
With the support of the Big Energy Saving Network, SELCE have been providing energy cafes in Lewisham Central Library, and the Woolwich Centre Library every Thursday and Friday to support people with a wide range of energy and fuel poverty related issues.
From switching energy providers, to using more energy efficient light bulbs, there are many measures you can take to help reduce your bills and carbon footprint.
We also come across many vulnerable people living in fuel poverty, so the energy cafes have a focus of reaching those most in need to help them access the support available to them. This can range from discounts on their energy bills (through the Warm Home Disount), refering them for free energy efficiency measures which may include insulation or a new boiler, helping resolve disputes with energy suppliers, and managing energy debt.
Our amazing team of volunteer advisers are fully trained, and experts in fuel poverty reduction. This year we have supported people in grave situations, and recently saw a lady who was on dialysis three times a week. Her gas and electricity had been cut off, leaving her in a life threatening situation, but SELCE intervention got it back on, along with various other support she was eligible for through different schemes
SELCE can also provide training for frontline workers and workshops for community groups. If you would like to more information on the training we can provide please contact us.
We are aware that there are many vulnerable people living in fuel poverty who we have not been able to reach, so if you or an neighbour could use some advice, please pop down to our energy cafes.
**Our Energy Cafes run 10am-4pm on
Thursdays at the Woolwich Centre Library and Fridays at Lewisham Central Library**
Making homes warmer for less - ECO Blitz
Chilly homes in Lewisham are set to become cosier - thanks to the collaboration between SELCE, Lewisham Council and home energy efficiency experts, RetrofitWorks. The team has been conducting door-knocking and home visits to provide local residents with free, or low-cost, energy improvements including loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and draught-proofing.
Many thanks to local volunteers Geroid, Will, Will, Sarah, Louise, Nadia, Clare who joined the ECO team to do outreach in Whitefoot encouraging those on low incomes to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
Join us for our next ‘ECO Blitz’ volunteering day on Saturday 26th Jan where we’ll be doing outreach in Rushey Green – contact laura@selce.org.uk to join the volunteer cosy crew.
You may be eligible to benefit from the scheme if you: own your home; rent from a private landlord; live within a low income part of Lewisham; and struggle to keep warm at home.
You may also be eligible if: someone in your household has a health condition that is exacerbated by living in a cold home; you have a pre-payment meter; or you are on certain benefits.
All the home energy improvement on offer are either fully or partly funded through the government-run Energy Companies Obligation or ECO. Selce's role is to identify eligible households and, to spread the word, WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Do you (or anyone you know) live in a home that could benefit from some first class insulation work? If so, please book an appointment for a home visit assessment by going to our website. Please note that if you are a tenant you will need permission from your landlord.
Volunteer at the January ECO Blitz
SELCE shortlisted for another award
Selce beat off stiff competition to be shortlisted for the annual Green Energy Awards hosted by energy consultancy, Regen. More than 100 companies competed for the coveted awards and Selce was one of four runners-up in the ‘community energy category’. The event ‘showcases and celebrates’ the companies, projects and individuals at the forefront of the growing renewable energy industry.
A big congratulations to the category winners, Awel Co-op, who were crowned best Community Energy Project 2018 for their outstanding work on their 4.7MW wind farm. They have donated shares to 30 primary and secondary schools who are gaining an understanding of the coop business model and democratic participation; the pupils get the chance to visit site and learn about the practical side of wind generation.
Learn more about Awel Co-op on their website.
Selce’s story featured in new podcast….
New Website Launching Soon
Our new website is underway! If you have pictures from SELCE events please send them over and we may feature them. We are also looking for support on creating a bookings page for our energy cafes, so calling all tech geeks - we could do with your help! Look out for the launch announcement in 2019 on our social media.
Become an Energy Hero and Earn Cash Rewards
Calling all Greenwich residents. Here’s a great way to help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint. The Greenwich Energy Hero project is looking for 100 households to become ‘energy heroes’ - residents who use less electricity at certain periods to help the environment and pave the way for the future of the energy market. It’s a 12-month trial that doesn't require you to change your electricity provider. The project will launch in the New Year, but you can sign up now to receive more information ahead of the crowd. It works like this: you sign up, have a visit from an engineer to install the equipment and introduce the app, and then receive notifications when supply of electricity is low once or twice a month. You earn rewards for responding to these notifications and using less electricity for around 1-3 hours. Your rewards are converted into cash, or combined with other Energy Heroes to make a donation a range of local charities. Visit greenwichenergyhero.org for more information and to sign up. Greenwich Energy Hero is part of the EU funded Sharing Cities programme, supported by the Royal Borough of Greenwich and operated by Kiwi Power.
Welcoming new directors to the
SELCE Family
Download our New Director Posters
If you'd like to make a comment about the newsletter or unsubscribe from our mailing list please email the editor, Camilla Berens, at camilla@selce.org.uk
Copyright © 2015 South East London Community Energy, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is: SELCE, c/o GCDA, Unit 6, Greenwich Centre Business Park, 53 Norman Road, London SE10 9QF Tel: 020 8269-4882 Email: info@selce.org.uk
unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences
|IF:REWARDS| |HTML:REWARDS| |END:IF|
You just read issue #26 of Selce Newsletter. You can also browse the full archives of this newsletter.
