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TRESOC News
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Anchor Stone Tidal Power
5 April 2013
In partnership with Plymouth University’s Marine Science and Engineering School, TRESOC has initiated a tidal power research project on the River Dart to confirm the potential for renewable energy production at the Anchor Stone channel just downriver from Dittisham. The project is in its very early stages but has generated lots of interest already. We would like to hear from anyone, or any organisation, who would like to learn more or contribute in some way.
We are planning a river trip for all those interested to discuss the project with representatives from TRESOC, Plymouth University and the Dart Harbour Board. Details will be announced shortly, meanwhile please contact admin@tresoc.co.uk if you would like to participate.
Download press release >
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DECISION DAY: 12 Noon, Wednesday 13th February, Follaton House
TCWF is an extraordinary opportunity.
This is a community-led project. Always was, always will be.
1. Sir Jonathon Porritt, Founder Director of Forum for the Future, says in his letter to the Leader of the Council, ”Of all the schemes we’ve looked at or worked on, TCWF is right up there as one of the most well-designed and well-supported we’ve ever seen. The commitment of the 500 members of TRESOC is extraordinary, and their relationship with Infinergy is a ‘role model’ that we have often advocated to others struggling to find the right kind of partnership base for their projects.”
2. TCWF was community-led from the outset; TRESOC approached Infinergy as developer partner because MW-scale energy is complex, with upfront costs and risks beyond the limits of most communities. The outcome – the result of a 4-year partnership – will meet the energy demand for 2,500 homes.
3. On approval, thousands of local people will be given the opportunity to invest in clean, community-owned, renewable energy.
4. The TRESOC/Infinergy partnership is transparent and professional. TRESOC has first refusal in the unlikely event that Infinergy wish to sell, which would allow the community to take complete control of TCWF.
5. The TRESOC Board is confident that the capital for the 49% equity share in the TCWF will be easy to raise given the excellent return on investments of this kind.
The South Hams Officers’ Recommendation shows a serious error
of judgement.
6. National planning policy states that “local planning authorities should recognise the responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy generation from renewable or low carbon energy” and that they should “support community-led initiatives for renewable and low carbon energy”
7. SHDC Officers’ Recommendation favours ‘the view’ over the local economy and the environment in recommending that voting Councillors refuse the application. The stated impacts are strongly exaggerated and largely subjective.
8. This is the best site for wind power generation in the South Hams, and a great opportunity for our community to make a big contribution to national energy objectives.
We are not giving up.
9. The resilience of our local economy is too important. Sir Jonathon Porritt continues, “From the perspective of South Hams District Council, I imagine you would be particularly interested in the ‘local economic multipliers’ that TRESOC has been able to negotiate, not just in terms of the return on their investment for TRESOC members, but through the business rates and the return for Harberton Parish Council. This ‘local content’ is critical, and many other schemes elsewhere in the country have failed to secure those significant benefits.”
10. This project stands as an example of the direct transfer of power from large corporations to the community that renewable energy makes possible, and of a new constructive relationship between community and industry.
Elected Councillors can make the right decision for the community they serve and for future generations at Committee on 13th February.
“The processing of this application is the perfect illustration why, with the best wind resource, the UK has the lowest percentage of renewable energy of any country in Europe”
- Ian Bright TRESOC MD
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TCWF supporters turn out en masse
December 4th 2012
On Monday 19th November, Members of the Development Management Committee for South Hams District Council, who will be voting on Totnes Community Wind Farm in the near future, toured the site and visited a number of vantage points, comparing the views with the photomontages provided as part of the official planning process by TRESOC/Infinergy.
TCWF supporters turned out en masse at three locations, firstly Luscombe Cross, then Harberton Playing Fields and Bowden House, where a support letter was signed and submitted to SHDC in September by 90% of the Bowden community (21 members).
John Gaskin, Harberton resident of 30 years said, "We hope the tour clearly indicated to the Councillors the strength of support for this project in the village."
Residents of both Harberton and Totnes had previously got together to make banners and brainstorm slogans. On the day, there were a variety of messages on display, from "Investing locally in a healthy future" to "Big enough to power 2,500 homes."
On the subject of turbine height, Ian Bright said "TRESOC has been very clear since our first share issue – which was based on TCWF – that large turbines are what's needed for our community to make a significant contribution to the UK’s legally binding renewable energy targets. We have cited the generating capacity of 2.3MW for each turbine and the hub and blade tip height figures – 64m and 100m – consistently and with pride for over two years. TCWF is the optimum site in this area. And it's worth noting that another location, if it’s even feasible to secure one – let alone as a community initiative – may have considerably more impact."
While the TCWF supporters regrouped at Harberton Playing Fields, two people in opposition to the proposal waved a helicopter in to land, which then took off and hovered at the blade tip height at the site.
TRESOC member Nigel Kelland, one of the dozens of TCWF supporters who braved the weather and the noise of the helicopter, commented, "TRESOC’s friendly organisation of the turn-out was a demonstration of what a community can do when it pulls together, and was in sharp contrast to the arrival of that helicopter, which felt like the brainchild of one or two with the resources to make it happen. I hope the Councillors will see through the smoke screen."
He continued, "I believe TRESOC was able to show the Councillors the strong feelings of the many who only have the planet and their grandchildren's interest at heart."
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Totnes Community Wind Farm enters planning process
August 31st 2012
South Hams District Council registers planning application for community owned wind project
TRESOC and Infinergy Ltd, partners in the Totnes Community Wind Farm, are pleased to announce that after two years of site research, environmental studies and public consultation, South Hams District Council has now registered the planning application for two wind turbines to be located between Totnes and Harbertonford.
Download press release »
Support TCWF by writing a letter »
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Kites fly to mark turbine height
July 2012
See the celebratory song on YouTube
In the light of requests for a marker to be flown to demonstrate the TCWF turbine height at Luscombe Cross, an experienced kite-flying team gave a demonstration of the turbine height by flying two kites on site; one at hub height (64m) and another at blade tip height (100m). Wind variability meant that the team had to experiment with various combinations of kites, but as one observer said "it's true the kite height varied with the wind, but it's also true that the kites were visible and provided to my mind a good indication of height and location".
The kites were flown from the field where the northern turbine, nearest to Luscombe Cross, would be located. TCWF were not able to host an on-site event as the farmers have crops close to harvesting on the land, but they were viewed from various locations including the Church Inn in Harberton.
The wind changed direction through ninety degrees several times but seemed to settle by around 1pm. Due to variable wind speeds the kites did go up and down a bit and also drifted from the actual turbine location a little, an issue which would also have affected a helium balloon The kite display team explained that with kites we would be far better prepared for all sorts of weather conditions as they had a range of kites suitable for different conditions whereas a blimp cannot be flown in windy conditions. We anchored the kites away from the turbine location to allow for the angle in the line to have the kites fly more precisely over the northern turbine location.
Ian Bright commented: “We are not claiming that this is by any means representative of the appearance of the turbines we are proposing, but it is at least a fairer representation than flying a large blimp at tip height, as favoured by the anti-wind lobby, which we feel unacceptably exaggerates our proposal”.
He added: “We remain of the opinion that the photomontages we produced offer a far better idea of how the turbines will look from defined viewpoints, plus this methodology is the accepted best practice in the wind industry, agreed by the local planning authority to be the best means for assessment of landscape and visual impacts. However, we have nothing to hide and we were happy to do this for the community'.
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Click to zoom |
Financing Renewable Solutions Conference
May 2012
Ian Bright will be speaking at the Regen SW conference in Bristol on 12th June, as part of Bristol's BIG GREEN WEEK.
Investment in renewable energy in the UK is
now running at over £2.5 billion a year and
growing rapidly, creating huge opportunities
for local revenue streams and economic
development. With rapid changes in the
financing and delivery of renewables, interest
is growing in new models and opportunities for
delivery-partnerships between the public and
private sector.
For more information click here
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Olly Frankland becomes TRESOC intern
May 2012
We are pleased to welcome Olly Frankland to the TRESOC team as our intern working with us on projects, communications and marketing. Olly graduated with a 1st in Biology with Environmental Sciences (BSc Hons) in 2010, and is currently studying Climate Change and Risk Management (MSc) part-time, whilst working as a supervisor in Rumour. He was raised in Harberton and has returned to the area to help assemble community-owned renewable energy.
As part of his research he would like to invite TRESOC members to take part in a survey. Please contact us at info@tresoc.co.uk to take part.
Dear TRESOC members,
By completing a short questionnaire (approx. 15mins) you will be in with the chance of winning a British made electricity monitor from Eco-eye (worth £50). You will also be helping TRESOC to gain information on its membership in order for it to develop and grow in an efficient manner in the future.
If you would prefer a paper format questionnaire, please send us an email with your name and address, and we will post one to you.
Kind regards,
Olly Frankland
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Development Forum Notes
May 2012
South Hams District Council held a Development Forum on 18th April to inform members of the proposal for the Totnes Community Wind Farm, prior to the planning application submission.
Presentations on the project were made by Steve Munday, Ian Bright and Matt Russell, with representations from local residents.
There were then a question and answer session covering many aspects of the project and of wind energy in general.
Presentations on the Totnes Community Wind Farm
Full notes, questions and responses from the forum here.
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TRESOC Funds Switched to Ethical Bank
May 2012
Tresoc have decided recently to transfer £85,000 of members investment money into the Ecology Building Society. Here it will earn 1% interest, which is a substantially better rate of return than the HSBC Business Money Manager account which was paying less than 0.2%. However it was decided that we keep a smaller balance in the HSBC account, where we can have ready access to it for ongoing expenses. Whilst in the Ecology BS, this money will be invested in green projects which will fit with our members aspirations. When a suitable renewable energy investment opportunity arises locally, this money can be accessed easily.
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Transition Students Presentation
March 2012
On the 6th and 8th March, we presented the TRESOC story to two groups of students from the US and Ghana. The students, from the Danish Institute for Study Abroad, were on a study tour of Transition in action through BigGreenCanoe's Transition Tours programme, bringing their classroom learning into the real world to reinforce what they have learnt and challenge them to contextualize their course work. Community-owned renewable energy companies are still somewhat of a rarity in the US so our story was met with considerable interest.
Here's what one student had to say...
"This was the best class trip I have ever been on. I wish I could have done this for longer. This is a program that every college or high school student should experience."
The full presentation can be seen here.
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TCWF Update
Feb 2012
Invitation Bus trip to Delabole Wind Farm, Cornwall
As part of the consultation process for the two wind turbines of Totnes Community Wind Farm, TRESOC and Infinergy are organising a bus trip to the operational Delabole Wind Farm near Delabole in Cornwall. Delabole Wind Farm has recently been repowered, comprising state of the art wind turbines of the same model and with similar dimensions to what we are proposing for the Totnes site. We welcome you to come along and see and hear similar wind turbines for yourself!
The trip will take place on Saturday 3rd March. Our departure time will be around 11 o’clock, departure location to be confirmed. We estimate that the voyage by coach will take up to 2 hours. We will spend about an hour on site and then head back. We plan to be back at around 4pm.
We anticipate being able to accommodate up to 30 attendees, on a first come first serve basis. If you are interested in coming along, please email info@totnescommunitywindfarm.co.uk or ring freephone number 0800 862 0309 to secure a seat. Please could you ensure you wear suitable footwear for slightly uneven terrain? The trip will be free of charge and lunch will be provided. As soon as everything has been confirmed we will update registered attendees with further details. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
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Delabole: 2008 Wind Farm |
Press Releases |
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Member News Emails
Sept 2012 The Totnes Community Wind Farm application is in!
April 2012 Atmos, SHDC Development Forum, Photomontages
Mar 2012 Totnes Community Wind Farm Latest
Feb 2012 Call to Action, Bus Trip to Delabole, Noise workshop film
Jan 2012 AGM Presentation, Minutes, Noise workshop notes
Dec 2011 #11 - AGM and Christmas Party
Nov 2011 #10 - FIT review, TCWF Open Day, Woodfuel Heating
Sept 2011 #9 - Bonds Announcement
Sept 2011 #8 - Share Issue Result
Sept 2011 #7 - Share Issue Update
01/09/2011 #6 - 2011 Prospectus; Position Available; Wind Update »
18/07/2011 #5 - 2011 Share Issue Announcement »
19/05/2011 #4 - Calling All Wind Supporters »
06/04/2011 #3 - Anaerobic Digester Update »
09/03/2011 #2 - Admin Help Wanted; Caroline Lucas Visit »
31/01/2011 #1 - Wind Farm Update; Jane Brady Appointment »
25/10/2010 TRESOC bulletin »
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Press for TRESOC
06/02/2011
TRESOC is a new economic model and one that is being noticed. In the context of Transition Town Totnes, we were recently recognized by
The Observer as a totemic symbol of community resiiience.
Read article »
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Press and Media Enquiries
e: news@tresoc.co.uk
t: 01803 867431 |
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