News and blogs

For the 6th year running Transition Town Totnes is holding an Open Eco-Homes Weekend, featuring homes, buildings and gardens that have taken steps to reduce their environmental impact and household bills. This year’s event is on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st September and involves 18 exciting homes, buildings or sites. Some are opening again by popular demand, including  The Cob House , a passivhaus refurbishment, a straw bale house, a  house made from an old cider barrel Read more…

Meet exhibitors specialising in energy conservation, renewable energy, woodfuel, planning, grants, electric vehicles and more at Tavistock College from 10am – 4pm. There are practical energy saving talks, things for thechildren to do and light refreshments available. It’s also a chance to support Tavistock College’s Solar Schools Campaign. We’ll be treated to a performance by Matt Harvey, poet in residence at RegenSW. A list of the exhibitors, talks and workshops can be found here. Any questions please email info@transitiontavistock.org.uk or call 07969-569-444.

Seventeen householders across the area are opening their doors on Saturday and Sunday 13th and 14th September from 10:00 to 16:00 … to share with you how they are conserving energy or generating it from a renewable source. You can download the programme here. Information on the Individual homes can be found here. There are five bus tours to choose from and a walking tour. If you don’t have transport, or would like to visit homes with others, please fill in the booking form.

Sustainable South Brent are pleased to announce the first ever South Brent Wood Fair, at the Village Hall, on Saturday 13th September 10am-5pm. This FREE family friendly event includes over 30 stalls, activities and events, with lots to see and do, plus delicious food and a bar. The Wood Fair has been organised by South Brent Steepers, a group of volunteer hedgelayers who were born out of the Woodfuel from Hedgerows initiative led by Dartmoor Circle. Read more…

Any community group looking to take forward a renewable energy project will need to give considerable attention to having the right legal status.  The Partnership has reviewed the wide range of  information available online that is designed to help community groups determine which legal entity is suitable for them. As a result of this review the Partnership has collated a short guide that includes links to some of the best further reading, and produced case Read more…

RegenSW has published the 2014 Renewable Energy Progress Report The south west now generates enough renewable electricity in the south west to power over one quarter of all homes. The capacity of renewable electricity in the south west has grown by 37 per cent to nearly 1.2 GW – and the region now generates 8.3 per cent of its electricity from renewables. The Progress Report also shows the south west leads the way in small Read more…

A feature on this evening’s which can reduce the cost and toxicity of cadmium telurite PV cells. Apparently cadmium chloride is an essential element to make the cell work … but researchers from Liverpool University have discovered that magnesium chloride can be substituted with no reduction in efficiency. Cadmium telluride cells in themselves are, apparently, a lower cost alternative to silicon cells. Listen to the broadcast here. A more detailed article published in today’s Independent can Read more…

There is surprising – even shocking – good news: Our ability to convert sunshine into usable energy has become much cheaper far more rapidly than anyone had predicted. The cost of electricity from photovoltaic, or PV, solar cells is now equal to or less than the cost of electricity from other sources powering electric grids in at least 79 countries. Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-turning-point-new-hope-for-the-climate-20140618#ixzz354d1yz5U

The Partnership’s Renewable Energy Opportunities Study is underway. Communities for Renewables has been appointed to help identify suitable locations for community owned wind, solar and hydro projects.

Government has published a consultation on changes to financial support for solar PV. The full consultation is available here. The consultation document proposes to: close the Renewables Obligation (RO) to new solar PV with capacity above 5 MW from 1 April 2015. Projects under 5 MW will remain eligible for the RO but projects over 5 MW will have to apply for Contracts for Difference (CfDs). split the current ‘degression band’ for projects over 50 Read more…