Transition Ipswich - Press Release

Higher payments needed for small-scale renewable energy generation (feed-in tarrifs)
Weds 2nd September 2009

One hundred and fifty years ago on August 27, Colonel Edwin L. Drake sunk the very first commercial well that produced flowing petroleum. But what began 150 years ago won't last another 150 years — or even another 50. The era of cheap oil is ending,

The two toughest challenges facing humankind at the start of this 21st century are Climate Change and Peak Oil. The former is well documented and very visible in the media. Peak Oil, however, remains under the radar for most people. Yet Peak Oil, heralding the era of ever-declining fossil fuel availability, may well challenge the economic and social stability that is essential if we are to mitigate the threats posed by Climate Change.

Last autumn, in response to these twin pressures a Transition Town group was formed in Ipswich. This followed other pioneering communities that have begun taking an integrated and inclusive approach to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their ability to withstand the fundamental shift that will accompany Peak Oil by reducing their reliance on imported food and fuel.

Central to the Transition Town movement is the idea that a life without oil could in fact be far more enjoyable and fulfilling than the present "by shifting our mind-set we can actually recognise the coming post-cheap oil era as an opportunity rather than a threat, and design the future low carbon age to be thriving, resilient and abundant – somewhere much better to live than our current alienated consumer culture based on greed, war and the myth of perpetual growth

As fossil fuel use is so entrenched in our current lifestyle, some people may find the scale of changes needed difficult to cope with at first. This is why Transition groups place great emphasis on working as a community rather than as individuals. By reconnecting with our neighbours and our local environment we can each make an inner transition towards having the confidence and the skills to enjoy life in a low energy future.

Essentially the Transition Town group in Ipswich is for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate Change). Something that achieves both of these is locally owned renewable energy systems and next Spring a major change is happening that will revolutionise renewable energy generation in the UK – feed in tariffs.

The 2008 Energy Act contains powers for the introduction of feed-in tariffs in Great Britain to incentivise renewable electricity installations up to a maximum capacity of 5 MW. This will see people who own renewable energy systems getting paid up to 40p per unit of energy produced (compared to around 10-15p that is currently available). This should halve the payback time of many systems making them a more profitable investment.

The details are still being negotiated and as part of this process the Transition Town group in Ipswich wants to contribute to the current Consultation on Renewable Electricity Financial Incentives that is being undertaken by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. To put it in a nutshell how much would you want to be paid to produce electricity to make it worthwhile to have a solar panel installed on your roof? That is the tariff being the amount you are paid for each kilowatt/hour of electricity you feed into the national grid.

Currently, Transition Ipswich feel the tariff rates should be higher and more emphasis given to community scale schemes as they are more cost effective than lots of individual installations. Larger schemes could also be owned by local coops and any revenue could be used to support local energy efficiency and fuel poverty schemes.

Please do come to the next meeting of the Transition Town group in Ipswich with your views and any evidence you may have to support those views at 7:30 on Thursday 17th September 2009 at the Citizens Advice Bureau At 19a Tower Street, Ipswich (tea & coffee available from 7pm.).

We will look at a short film by the Committee on Climate Change as an introduction to the government plans and then a 20 minute movie by the United Nations Environment Programme on feed in tariffs followed by a discussion. So even if you know nothing about this matter by coming on 17 September you will understand the choices that need to be made and be able to contribute your view. The consultation ends on 15 October so what is decided at this meeting will be what forms the contribution from the Transition Town group in Ipswich to the consultation.

If you cannot come to this meeting do please contribute to the discussion via the links on the website and please feel free to get involved in the future.

http://www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/TransitionIpswich/

There are more details of the Consultation on the web page

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/elec_financial/elec_financial.aspx

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For more information contact

Charles Croydon home number 01473 214116
John Taylor work phone no. 01473 432096

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