We’re looking to hear from anyone who knows of non-domestic sites that might be suitable – all feedback welcome!

Our requirements for solar PV are:

• South-facing (or at least south west to south east)
• BIG – between 80m2 (that’s 20m x 4m) and up to 400m2 (e.g. 40m x 10m)
• Strong and built to last (so church roof = good; cheap metal roof of industrial building less good)

For woodchip boilers, we’re looking for sites that are:

• Off-gas (using oil, LPG or electricity for heating)
• Spending more than £5000 a year on fuel

We’ve got until the end of March to find as many suitable places as possible. Once we have a shortlist of potential sites, we’ve got a team of people ready to pay them a free visit to investigate further.

If you have ideas, please get in touch with Sam Woods from the energy project team on sam(at)samanthawoods.wanadoo.co.uk or on 07890 587 611.

After Transition Leicester’s successful bid for “LEAF” grant funding to develop a new community energy cooperative for Leicester & Leicestershire, we are holding several open meetings in February and March to develop the ideas and to give a chance for volunteers and supporters to get involved.

The next meeting is on Monday 5th March from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in the Small Hall at the Adult Education Centre on Wellington Street, Leicester.

At the meeting we will:

• Learn more about community energy cooperatives through a short film and Q&A
• Share ideas for potential sites for community-funded solar PV and woodchip boiler installations
• Give feedback to the project team on the co-op’s name, logo and plans for setting up
• Make plans for the co-op’s launch at the Green Light festival on March 31st.

Hope to see you there!

A few of us have done it or want to do it and we thought it would be fun and useful to get together and talk.

The get-together is at 8 Victoria St, Thurmaston. From 6.00pm bring veggie food to share, then from 7.00pm talk together about insulating solid walls from the inside or the outside

If you want to come and would like or can offer a lift from your part of town, please ring Zina on 0116 2899074.

The Green Business Challenge invites young people aged 18-30 to develop new business ideas that can be pitched before a panel of Green Dragons at this year’s festival.

The Prince’s Trust, Leicester College and Groundwork Leicester & Leicestershire are behind the scheme which will see the top three ideas win a prize and the person behind the idea get a year’s free business advice form The Prince’s Trust.

The Green Dragons will include local business woman, Ruth Singer, Prince’s Trust programme manager, Jonathon Dawson and Leicester College’s Head of Sustainability, Roy Morgan Wood.

“Leicester needs new businesses to create jobs but at the same time we need to lower our carbon emissions” says Chris Shaw, Assistant Director at Groundwork Leicester. “If we are to achieve our targets for CO2 reductions and build a strong economy, it is critical to stimulate young people to develop new ideas that tackle both objectives” he added.

Applicants to the scheme have until the 30^th March to develop their ideas and at the festival they will receive marketing and business advice before going in front of the Green Dragons to pitch for the prizes.

To enter the competition, go to the Green Light website to download the application form: http://greenlightfestival.org/2012/02/16/green-business-challenge-a-chance-for-young-entreprenurs-to-make-their-pitch-at-green-light.

For further information, email Chris Shaw on chris.shaw(at)groundwork.org.uk.

http://www.transitionnetwork.org/news/2012-02-02/february-2012-transition-network-newsletter

News of a SuperHomes open day taking place at the Leicester Ecohouse on Hinckley Road on 24th & 25th March from 11am to 3pm…

Pioneering owners of some of the UK’s most energy efficient SuperHomes are hosting free Open Days.

SuperHomes are older homes renovated for:

✔ greater comfort

✔ lower bills

✔ reduced emissions (at least 60% less)

The majority of SuperHomes are superinsulated. In many cases renewable energy heats water, provides electricity or contributes to space heating. Many also showcase the latest in LED lighting.

The SuperHomes website makes it easy to find properties to visit with features you may already have on your wish list.

Attending an Open Day can give you greater confidence to move forward your own refurbishment plans. These are real homes where real people have made their own commitment to reducing their carbon emissions. They will explain both the benefits and the challenges involved.

There are already over 100 SuperHomes in England and Wales and 85% of people live within 30 miles of one. Most SuperHomes open to the public in spring and September and at other times by appointment.

Visit our website for details of your nearest SuperHome Open Day. www.superhomes.org.uk

Pioneering owners of some of the UK’s most
energy efficient SuperHomes are hosting free
Open Days. SuperHomes are older homes
renovated for:
✔ greater comfort
✔ lower bills
✔ reduced emissions (at least 60% less)
The majority of SuperHomes are superinsulated.
In many cases renewable energy
heats water, provides electricity or
contributes to space heating. Many also
showcase the latest in LED lighting.
The SuperHomes website makes it easy to
find properties to visit with features you may
already have on your wish list.
Attending an Open Day can give you greater
confidence to move forward your own
refurbishment plans. These are real homes
where real people have made their own
commitment to reducing their carbon
emissions. They will explain both the benefits
and the challenges involved.
There are already over 100 SuperHomes in
England and Wales and 85% of people live
within 30 miles of one.
Most SuperHomes open to the public in
spring and September and at other times by
appointment. Visit our website for details of
your nearest SuperHome Open Day.
www.superhomes.org.uk

The next meeting is on Thursday 16th February from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in Room 15 at the Adult Education Centre on Wellington Street, Leicester. Please RSVP by email to Andrew Reeves (reevesie(at)gmail.com) if you would like to attend, as the capacity in our room is very limited.

At the meeting we will:

• Learn more about community energy cooperatives through watching and discussing two short case study films
• Agree upon the name and aims of the new coop, and on plans for recruiting volunteer founding directors
• Share ideas for potential sites for community-funded solar PV and woodchip boiler installations
• Agree the work to be done to develop a business plan in February and March
• Recruit volunteers for the energy coop information stall at Green Light festival on March 31st.

Hope to see you there!

Gallery@GreenLight is an open exhibition for art, design, photography and craft that is either:

• made from reclaimed, recycled, locally sourced or sustainable materials
• with a content that reflects an environmental theme
• made using sustainable methods or processes

Works submitted may be made using any medium but must fit in with the themes and ethos of the festival. Entry is FREE, except for professionals seeking to promote their business, for whom there is a £5 fee.

Anyone can enter, including amateur and professional artists and community groups and local arts projects or all ages and ability!

A people’s choice award will be voted for by visitors to Green Light and awarded on the day.

To find out more, download the form below for full details of how to apply.

Gallery@greenlight form final

For further information, contact Simon Bates on gallery AT greenlightfestival.org. The deadline for entries is March 16th 2012.

The funding, secured from the Government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change, will be used to identify local installation sites for solar electric panels and woodchip boilers, and to set up a community-run organisation to deliver local projects to cut fuel bills and generate renewable energy.

The new company will enable local residents, community groups and businesses to invest in local energy provision, by buying shares to fund new renewable energy installations. The organisation will be volunteer-led and run for community benefit, with any profits being paid as a dividend for local investors, or reinvested in local energy saving schemes. The cooperative will be launched at the Green Light festival in Leicester on Saturday March 31^st.

The coop has been initiated by local volunteers from Transition Leicester, who are working with renewable energy experts from Sharenergy and Run by the Sun Ltd.

Sam Woods said: “The new coop is great news for organisations that would love to install renewable energy but can’t meet the upfront costs, and for anyone that would like to invest in a positive and sustainable future for their local area.”

The project team are asking local organisations to get in touch if their premises could be suitable for investment in solar PV and woodchip boilers. The team are looking for buildings with large south-facing roofs, or premises in off-gas areas spending more than £5000 a year on heating bills.

For further information or to discuss possible installation sites, contact Samantha Woods on sam AT samanthawoods.wanadoo.co.uk or 07890 587 611.

More info: www.ruthsinger.com