In the Brecon Beacons there are a number of community groups who are doing some fantastic work in energy saving, sustainable work and developing small scale sustainable energy. Here are some of the groups:
Cwmdu Sustainable Energy Group
CSEG was formed in 2007 by a group of Cwmdu residents who were looking to share their experiences of energy saving and to help promote sustainable activities in the community. Since its formation the group has been active with:
• Woodland management
• Small hydro schemes
• Acquiring electric bikes for community use
• Reducing energy use in the village hall
• Home insulation
• Micro generation
• Use of thermal imaging to identify heat loss in homes.
• Regular litter picking in the village
• Restoration of stone walls
• Selling local produce
• Reducing street lighting in the early hours of the morning
• Support of local events
The Green Valleys
The Green Valleys is a Brecon-Beacons wide Community Interest Company founded in 2009. Its mission is to create carbon neutral, financially secure and sustainable communities. Its principal means of achieving this is to help communities realise the benefits of Feed-in Tariffs through micro-hydro generation.
Talybont Energy was delighted to be able to help The Green Valleys at its outset and in its successful bid to win the Nesta prize. Due to some confusion, we need to make clear that Talybont Energy did not receive any of the Nesta prize money awarded to the Green Valleys and nor would we expect to , given we already have a community hydro scheme and an income.
As a result of the original Green Valleys initiative, we now enjoy links and resource-sharing with other communities across our area. We also hope to continue to be a useful partner for The Green Valleys in their efforts to help finance and install multiple micro-hydro schemes across the Beacons.
For more information about The Green Valleys, click here
Crucorney Energy Group
A community group on the edge of the Brecon Beacons surrounded by hills, forest and farmland, we exist to enable local residents to connect with each other and our natural surroundings and to encourage healthier more enjoyable, sustainable lifestyles.
Crucorney Energy Group installed 42 PV panels which generate up to 9.8 kwh on the roof of the Pandy Village Hall in March 2011. Other work the group does includes:
- Community energy generation (micro hydro, wind, solar thermal, photovoltaic).
- Harvesting woodland (community wood supply, charcoal making)
- Domestic energy efficiency (loft insulation, electricity monitoring)
- Transport (car sharing, shopping collection, electric bikes).
- Local food initiatives (allotments, garden sharing, local produce).
- Cleaning up our environment (recycling, litter picking, composting).
Llangattock Green Valleys
A group of locals keen to find ways to save energy (and money!) by reducing personal and community’s carbon footprint. Interested in alternative ‘renewable’ technologies – things like solar, wind and water power, woodfuel and biodiesel, they are also keen to do as much as we can to make our homes and community buildings cheaper to run and more energy efficient. By sharing knowledge, getting together and seeking funding to help bring a range of ambitious projects to life in 2010 and beyond. Llangattock Green Valleys (LGV) won over £137,000 worth of funding through the British Gas Green Streets project.
LGV projects include:
– Allotments – installing a borehole and solar-powered pump for irrigation.
– School and community hall – providing a professional energy assessment to identify ways to make these buildings more comfortable and cheaper to run. PLUS installing photovoltaic (PV) panels on the school roof to generate electricity. Initial forecasts suggest this could provide an income of c.£2,000 a year for the school.
– Woodlands group – bringing local woodlands back under productive management, to provide a sustainable supply of cheap woodfuel for residents.
– Biodiesel club – working to bring quality biodiesel to Llangattock. Bio heating oil is also on the way!
– Litter picks – encouraging everyone to take pride in our community by helping to make Llangattock a cleaner, more beautiful place.
– Micro-hydro – our most ambitious plan: installing a community-owned micro-hydro scheme within the village.