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For further supportVisitwww.cse.org.uk/communitiesor email communities@cse.org.uk .

Follow us on Twitter @cse_communitiesAnd for the best tools and guides, visit our

website:www.cse.org.uk/thesource.

Bristol Switch & Save - together for a better

energy deal

Bristol Switch & Save is a new collective buying scheme,

helping domestic energy customers to save money on

their electricity and gas bills. By joining together and

negotiating as a group, we aim to get a better deal fromthe energy market on behalf of everyone who joins in.

The scheme is open to any household (or small business

on a domestic tariff), not just those in Bristol but also

those on the outskirts and further afield.

Our Green Deal in Somerset

CSE has launched a scheme offering households in

Somerset (including the unitary authorities of North

Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset) free Green

Deal assessments. An assessment would normally cost

about 175 and there are around 800 to give away

through the scheme, funded by the Department forEnergy and Climate Change.

The assessment allows householders to find out which

Green Deal measures are recommended and how they

might be funded. Householders can call 0800 082 2234

or email home.energy@cse.org.uk for more details. The

scheme closes on 15 March 2013 so act quickly!

Part of the scheme involves working with local

community groups, who are advertising the assessments

in their area and generating local referrals. An incentive isreceived for each referral, allowing groups to generate an

income to run other projects or fund local improvements.

Groups signed up to the scheme are:

Sustainable Frome Energy Group

FLoW and Low Carbon Gordano

Forum 21 and Transition Minehead

localGen Home Energy Centre

Energy Efficient Widcombe

Axevale Consortium for Energy (consisting of

Wedmore Green Group, Sustainable Axbridge

Network and Shipham Action Group for the

Environment)

Transition Athelney

February2013

From the Centre

for Sustainable Energy

Community

Energy

Update

1 | News from CSE ...

Cont ...

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2 | Local news...

Training for your volunteers

In Bristol, North Somerset and Bath & North East

Somerset, CSE is able to provide training for volunteers

who work with or support those over the age of 50. We

can train a small group of people for free in topics such

as energy sssentials and draught-busting. Alternatively if

anyone over 50 would like to do some volunteering for

CSE and share the learning with others in your group,

get in touch via communities@cse.org.uk.

Drip to Downpour

The Environmental Network of North Somerset (TENONS)

have organised a seminar to discuss some of the issuesrelated to water resources as a side effect of extreme

weather and climate change. There will be presentations

from Exeter University, Bristol Water and North Somerset

Council. The event will take place on Saturday 2 March

at the Blakehay Theatre, Weston-super-Mare, from

10.00-12.30. For more details see www.tenons.org.uk.

West Somerset - Assets of Community Value

As reported in Decembers news, communities now have

a Right to Bid to take ownership of local assets. WestSomerset District Council has therefore set up a process

for nominating Assets of Community Value (ACVs).

If a town or parish council or community group in West

Somerset is interested in nominating an asset/s or simply

finding out more about ACVs, please contact Angela

Lamplough at CorporateSupport@westsomerset.gov.uk.

Housing Assessment Tool (HAT)

The Housing Assessment Tool or HAT has been designed

to enable community groups to analyse data about their

local housing stock and generate reports for local

householders. The users simply enter a few details about

a home into an Excel spreadsheet to generate results

about what measures are suitable for the home and

what kind of savings can be expected.

A community group can use the HAT to provide

individual householders with a report, which could be

useful prior to a full Green Deal Assessment, or to

analyse data about a cluster of houses to determine what

measures might be most beneficial to target in the area.

The tool and full guidelines on how to use it can befound here: www.cse.org.uk/resources/toolkits.

1 | News from CSE cont ...

Somerset Community Energy Forum

Heres a date for your diary; on Saturday 11 May at theGenesis Centre in Taunton will play host to this years CSE

Community Energy Forum. This event will include

presentations, breakout workshops, lunch and, of course,

the chance to share your brilliant ideas with other local

groups.

Were currently planning content for the event, so if you

have any bright ideas or the burning desire to see a topic

covered, let us know at communities@cse.org.uk.

Invitations to follow next month...

Wed love it if your community group could spread the

word, especially to those who havent switched for a

long time or dont use comparison websites. Were

particularly interested in signing up older people, those

on pre-payment meters and people who struggle toafford their heating as they will benefit the most. If

youd like to give out flyers, posters or other publicity

material, please email sarah.jeffrey@cse.org.uk.

Anyone who wants to join in needs to express their

interest (with no obligation to switch) by 22 March 2013.

See www.bristolswitchandsave.org.uk.

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Lets Go Solar vouchers available!

Ashley Vale Action Group has been awarded a number of

vouchers worth 1,280 each, thanks to funding through

the Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme for

communities and a bulk-buy discount from local installers.

The vouchers will go towards the cost of solar hot water

heating systems for homes across Bristol, providing

householders with around a 50% discount. The funding is

particularly (but not exclusively) aimed at those

living in areas with high

levels of deprivation.

With a deadline of the

end of February for

allocating the funding,

homeowners should act

Awards for All changes

Projects throughout England now have the opportunity to

apply for repeat and on-going activities under Awards forAll in a pilot scheme running until the end of March

2013. Previously only new project ideas could be funded

but the Big Lottery Fund is keen to help more groups with

ongoing activities. Applicants must have an income of less

than (or equal to) 30,000 according to their latest

accounts. For more information contact the BIG advice

line on 0845 410 2030 or see

www.awardsforall.org.uk/england/pilot-apply.html .

3 | And some useful links ...

Proposed amendments to the Energy Bill

A coalition of key representatives from the community

energy sector, including CSE and Co-operatives UK, have

been instrumental in suggesting some changes to the

Energy Bill calling for clearer carbon reduction targets for

electricity. Suggestions include:

A clear target for CO2 reduction by 2030 to be

decided in 2014

Fairer access to the market for community energy

schemes

An upper Feed-in-Tariff limit of 20MW for

community schemes

Access for community generators to the Green

Power Auction Market

Details from Co-operatives UK at www.uk.coop/co-

operatives-uk-backs-call-clear-co2-target-energy-bill

3 St Peters Court

Bedminster Parade

Bristol

BS3 4AQ

The Centre for Sustainable

Energy (CSE) is a national charity

that helps people change the way

they think and act on energy

0117 934 1400

www.cse.org.uk

Charity 298740

Founded 1979

The Quartet Community Foundation

The Quartet Community Foundation supports a diverse

range of activities that help to build strong, vibrant

communities across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset,

North Somerset and South Glos. Grants are given to

groups addressing priority needs in these communities

and for whom a small amount of money can make a big

difference. For details see www.quartetcf.org.uk .

Our webinars, what did you think of them?

If you attended, expressed an interest in, or viewed online

either of our two webinars last year we would like your

feedback to help us to secure funding to run more this

year. The survey will take up no more than five minutes of

your time and your comments will be much appreciated:

www.surveymonkey.com/s/csewebinars. If you missed

the webinars you can view them both here on the CSE

YouTube channel:

Common concerns about wind power:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dTyTIx_otk

Using the National Heat Map:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMvFBxPIN7c

ASAP, vouchers not used will be subsidies lost. For more

information and eligibility details, and to download an

Expression of Interest form, visit Lets Go Solar at

www.ashleyvale.org.uk or e-mail

letsgosolar@ashleyvale.org.uk.