Transition Ladock and Grampound Road was set up in 2008 to find a low carbon alternative to providing energy for the local community. In 2009 the group secured a share of £500,000 Government Community Funding by working with Cornish charity Community Energy Plus. The money awarded to the Ladock group has been used to install a range of renewable energy and energy saving technologies in a range of buildings. These will be studied to see what benefits accrue and which technologies work best in which circumstances.
What has Ladock community energy group achieved so far?
Overall the community energy group have had 12 sets of photovoltaic panels and 5 sets of solar thermal panels fitted to properties. Two buildings have had biomass boilers installed, 2 have had ground source heat pumps, and 2 have had air source heat pumps. Insulation was due to have been installed in 7 properties, but has only been done in 4 of these. Low Carbon Ladock Ltd, a Community Benefit Society, manages the FiT from these installations centrally. The money will be spent on the installation of further community energy saving and renewable energy equipment in the parish by a Community Co-operative, Ladock Carbon Co-operative Ltd. The Community Co-Operative has been so successful that they have been able to install 3 more Solar PV systems. Guy Atkinson approached us to complete the work, as we are a local company and we have been able to help them in the past. We won the job with a competitive tender and an honest and transparent approach to their requirements. With a FiT reduction deadline approaching, they were keen that the work was carried out efficiently to a high standard of workmanship. We completed three domestic Solar PV systems, ready to claim the FiT within a 1-week timescale. We have been able to answer any queries and questions regarding the installs promptly, and we are pleased to have positive feedback from both the homeowners and the Low Carbon Ladock community group. If you have a community scheme similar to Low Carbon Ladock, or would like further information on community renewables, we would be happy to talk it through with you. Alternatively, you can get independent information from Community Energy Plus.
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