Severn Wye Energy Agency -  Current and recent projects

January 2000

1.Domestic energy efficiency

a)Energy Champions: training and supporting teams of community energy advisers in Stroud and Forest of Dean Districts.

Funding:  NEA (MEB SOP flexibility project)

b)Focus on Families: final stage of training and development of awareness-raising materials for health workers involved with families with children under five years old in Gloucestershire.

Funding:  HECAction, consortium of local authorities, led by Stroud.

c)Warm-hearted homes: training for health and community workers working with families in Wiltshire, linking to Wiltshire Local Agenda 21.

Funding:  HECAction, consortium of local authorities, led by Swindon.

d)Wolverhampton affordable warmth: training for health and social services staff, partnership between local authority and health trust. Assistance in development of further projects to roll out affordable warmth strategy.

Funding:  Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council and Wolverhampton Health Authority

e)Daventry health pack: advice pack on energy efficiency for people working with hospital leavers in Daventry.

Funding:  Daventry District Council

f)Energy efficiency in core skills education: development, trialling and publication of two manuals about home energy efficiency, for use in adult core skills education.  One is for numeracy work, and the other for language (literacy and English as a Second Language). 

Funding:   Eaga Charitable Trust

g)Delivery of NEA City and Guilds Energy Awareness courses in the region: Open access courses for the Midlands region run several times a year in Birmingham, as well as a number of in house courses in the South and West Midlands. 

Funding: various

h)Forest of Dean Energy Advice Centre: establishment of home energy advice service on behalf of Forest of Dean District Council, this is linked into the EST network of advice centres.

Funding: Forest of Dean District Council

i)Home-Movers Energy Efficiency Scheme:  A HECAction project which aims to stimulate investment in energy efficiency measures by people who are moving house. Grant agreed for development of business plan, and earmarked for full project.

Funding: HECAction, consortium of local authorities led by Forest of Dean.

2.Renewable Energy

a)Save II programme (Forest of Dean): This project includes working with planning and economic development officers to seek ways to encourage the use of renewables.

Funding : Save II (Europe)

b)An Energy Plan for Forest of Dean District: an energy plan incorporating an appraisal of the renewable energy sources available in the area in addition to a review of current energy use trends and opportunities for energy efficiency.

Funding: Carried out under the SAVE II programme outlined above

c)Study of the potential market for refined biomass in UK: a partnership with agencies in Sweden, Austria, Belgium, France and Italy, this study and dissemination of the results will be completed in May 2000. The UK market is in its infancy and further development necessary, ideally in the form of pioneer installations.

Funding: Altener (Europe)

d)Renewable Energy Development Initiative (REDI): a Gloucestershire based project to encourage community participation in renewable energy developments through a training process for community groups and local authorities followed by project development support.

Funding: Environmental Action Fund (DETR), Shell Better Britain Campaign, JJ Charitable Trust and Mark Leonard Charitable Trust

3.Energy efficiency in SMEs

a)Energy for Sustainable Tourism: a programme of energy surveys and capital grants for energy efficiency improvements aimed at tourist accommodation businesses.

Funding: MEB SoP Flexibility

b)A pilot ESCO for SME�s in the Tourism Sector: research and development of a business plan for an energy services company (ESCO) aimed at help local SME�s finance energy efficiency improvements.

Funding: Energy Savings Trust (EST)

c)Gloucestershire Energy Roadshow: a series of business energy efficiency seminars around Gloucestershire run form the DETR mobile seminar room

Funding: a partnership project run through Gloucestershire Environmental Business Forum funded by DETR, corporate and Local Authority sponsorship.