|
From 2001, the Countryside Agency actively engaged with the
energy sector by developing and running the Community Renewables
Initiative (CRI). This initiative is now co-ordinated by the
Severn Wye Energy Agency on behalf of the central government
funders (DTI, Defra, Natural England and the Forestry
Commission). The CRI was
launched in 2001 as a pilot scheme and was coordinated by the
Countryside Agency until July 2006.
It was established as an
England-wide advice and support service for community groups,
helping them to install their own renewable energy schemes. It
has been delivered through 10 Local Support Teams. So far, it
has delivered over 120 projects across the country, often with
more than one technology per site, providing electricity and
heat. These projects improve community energy security, local
skills, livelihoods, and education.
After successful monitoring and
evaluation of the process and outcomes, the CRI has secured
further funding through to April 2007, and is now co-ordinated
by the Severn Wye Energy Agency (SWEA), one of the existing
Local Support Teams. SWEA will work with Natural England and the
other CRI partners to develop a succession strategy for the
initiative into the future.
The CRI covers a range
of geographic locations from remote rural areas to market towns,
farmed landscapes to villages, and even cities and their edges.
The initiative promotes
and assists developments which: |
|
- are environmentally
sensitive;
- have support of all
stakeholders;
- are appropriate to the
circumstances of the locality;
- link to other
diversification and regeneration
schemes.
|
|
It could mean environmentally
sensitive developments of: |
- solar roofs; biomass and
wood heat schemes; farm waste schemes; small, medium, and in
some instances, large wind
turbines.
|
|
In places like: |
- schools; hospitals; offices;
shops; farms; community halls and housing
developments.
|
|
Bringing benefits like: |
- skills; livelihoods; income;
education opportunities and energy security.
|
