The Community Sustainable Energy Programme will provide a total of £9 million to for the installation of microgeneration technologies, such as solar panels or wind turbines and energy efficiency measures including loft and cavity wall insulation.

Microgeneration is talked about in the UK Energy Act 2004, and defines it as the generation of energy ‘of a capacity of less than 50 kW.’  It includes technologies such as:

• Solar photovoltaics
• Solar thermal hot water
• Wind turbines
• Heat pumps
• Automated wood pellet stoves
• Wood fuelled boiler systems
• Micro-hydro turbines

Since an estimated 38% of current UK greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the energy supply sector, and existing losses in the current electricity supply system amount to around 65% of the primary energy input, mainly due to heat wasted during centralised production. Micro-generation and other decentralised technologies have the potential to dramatically reduce these losses.  It can make energy savings when fossil fuels are used, as the heat generated by localised electricity production can be captured and utilised for space and water heating. (Source: Prospects for and barriers to domestic micro-generation: A United Kingdom perspective; Allen, Hammond and M.C. McManus)

Through CSEP local community organisations can adopt this relatively expensive technology at a subsidised price. The benefits of this government grant are not just in the hands of politics and businesses; this scheme will increase community awareness of climate change and how changes to our behaviour can reduce it; offer increased skills base of local trades (for example, building-services working on renewable energy projects); offer consumers a reduction in energy bills and a reduction in reliance on imported energy and increased independence from commercial energy supplier; create stronger partnerships within local communities with lasting social benefits, and encourage the growth of local enterprise in new technologies.

This all sound too good to be true? Barriers to domestic micro-generation in the UK are in the process of technological innovation, energy policy options, and the current status of the micro-generation industry. Perhaps the requirements for this technology to be mainstream is simply not strong enough, based on low levels of energy outputs this will generate, high costs to consumers, and difficulties in installing a high number of systems.

The true extent to how the CSEP will tackle these barriers will remain unknown for some years, but the extent to what needs to done is here today.  Apply for your microgeneration grant today! 

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