The Ovesco team has been out and about in Barcombe quite a bit of late. We had our event at the village hall in June, and our stall at the Barcombe Bonfire event in July. We even did a spot of door knocking! We’ve delivered questionnaires to every home in the village. If you’ve returned yours already, thank you! If you haven’t had a chance, please do take a few minutes to do. We included an envelope to return it in, or you can drop it off at the village shop. Or you can do it online at www.communiheat.com. You can also still have a free home energy assessment!

It’s been great to talk to so many people. There’s definitely plenty of appetite for the CommuniHeat project, and almost everyone recognises that it’s essential to transition away from fossil fuel heating, and quickly. There have been plenty of questions too – which is just as it should be. And one of the most frequent questions is – how’s it going to be paid for?

This issue is so fundamental to the CommuniHeat project and to the transition as a whole. How can it be made achievable and affordable for all? It’s been great to see it in the news recently, with experts calling for poorer UK households to receive free heat pumps, and the Prime Minister acknowledging to the Commons Liaison Committee that there are challenges that must be met around affordability.

Well, we have some welcome news ourselves on this front! We’ve been made aware of a new source of funding for green home improvements for homes in East Sussex, worth up to £10,000 per household. These improvements could include better insulation, heat pumps, solar PV or thermal, and much else besides. This particular funding is designed for people on lower incomes living in homes which have a below average standard of energy performance, so it’s not a complete solution. But if you qualify, we would definitely recommend looking into it.

To be eligible you need to have:

1. A gross (before tax) household income of under £30,000 p.a. OR a net household income of less than £20,000 after tax, NI, mortgage or rent and council tax. (Please note that disability benefits aren’t counted as income.)
2. A current EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of D, E, F or G.

Applications need to be submitted by 30th September 2021. If you think you qualify, feel free to contact us on communiheat@ovesco.co.uk or 01273 472405. If you think you might be eligible, but you aren’t sure, get in touch anyway and we’ll help you figure it out.

As the move towards decarbonising heat gathers momentum, other funding will become available. Rest assured we’ll also be keeping a very close eye out, and as soon as we hear of any, we’ll let you know!

I’m writing this month’s piece with my resident’s hat perched firmly on my head.

If you were at the event at the Village Hall on 25th June, it was great to see you. It’s so good to talk about CommuniHeat in 3D rather than on screens! If you’re planning to go to the Barcombe Bonfire Society event that’s scheduled for 4th July, I hope to see you there.

If you did come in June you’ll have seen the launch of “Our Energy: Barcombe.” This initiative is all about how we Barcombe residents can join together to make decisions around the future of our energy, based on the results of CommuniHeat. Because that’s what community energy is about, in a nutshell – ownership, resilience and empowerment for communities. By the end of the year we should know what some of the options are to take Barcombe towards Net Zero, and we’ll need to work together to decide what to do next. It’s about being prepared, and having a plan that everyone can have a say in.

So – what’s the best way to do that? Well, Ovesco suggests that a steering committee would be a good start, and this was one of the things that was introduced at the June event.

A steering committee would generally consist of a number of residents, with a broad range of skills. You might have prior experience of leadership – perhaps from chairing a local group or something similar. You could be skilled in marketing, engineering, law or finance. You might have experience of renewable energy and/or energy efficiency. But this isn’t an exhaustive list. Each and every one of you will have valuable skills, ideas and opinions they can bring, and no one should feel unable to participate. Remember, it’s Our Energy! And Ovesco is a community organisation based on cooperative principles, and is here to support and guide, not impose anything on the village. You might have a better idea of how to go about it – if so, the Ovesco team would love to hear about it. It’s up to all of us and we can all have a say.

Finally, if you haven’t yet signed up for a heat loss survey, please do. This project is nothing without the heat loss info. Remember, you’ll receive a free heat loss survey and some vouchers to spend at local businesses.

Let’s learn how to do this together, and share our learning with other communities!

To sign up for a survey or volunteer for the steering group, or share ideas or thoughts of any kind, email communiheat@ovesco.org or ring 01273 472405. You can also sign up for a survey or for the mailing list at www.communiheat.org. Or stop me for a chat if you see me out and about. I really don’t mind; I just love talking about CommuniHeat!

As I write this, on a lovely day in May, it feels like the clouds are lifting. Walking around the village earlier today, it felt like there was a real mood of optimism. Barcombites are generally a smiley bunch, but right now everyone seems friendlier than ever. And it’s great to see folks chatting, laughing and enjoying a drink outside the pub.

With the lifting of lockdown, we’ve been able to plan for our live Barcombe Zero Carbon event! We’ll be hosting it at the Village hall on June 25th, from 2-7pm. Since the project started, we’ve been having regular online gatherings. These have been well attended and well received (thanks to those who came to our May webinars) but we know that Zoom calls aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. So, do come along and meet us face to face! It doesn’t matter if you’ve been following the CommuniHeat project from the start, or you’ve just decided you’d like to know more. There will be something there for you.

You’ll be able to see how our data visualisation exercise is progressing, hear more about next steps, and get an idea of what the Barcombe of the future could look like. You’ll be able to chat to the Ovesco team, Phil from engineering consultancy Buro Happold, and Ashita from network provider UK Power Networks about how community energy works, our data modelling, the impacts electrical heating and electric vehicles will have on the grid, and much more. There’ll be a chance to input your ideas and questions (we’ll also have a comments and ideas box, so you can do this anonymously if you choose.) You can also sign up to the Barcombe Energy Group, which will play a pivotal role in deciding which course the village will take, and collect your vouchers if you’ve already taken part in our monitoring and surveying exercise. And, of course, there’ll be cuppas and cakes aplenty.

We’ve also invited a range of green tech suppliers. I think this is particularly important. The questions the Ovesco team get asked most often are about understanding the technology. What sort of solutions are available? How much do they cost? How efficient are they? What are the pros and cons of each? What’s best for my kind of property? While we have an understanding of these things, we’re not experts – so here’s your chance to ask the experts!

Remember, CommuniHeat is first and foremost a partnership. Barcombe residents are a key partner in the project, and it won’t work without you. Community energy is all about engagement and discussion with communities to find solutions that work for everyone. Our June event is the perfect place to continue this conversation. So, why not be a part of it? Come along, bring your ideas, opinions, questions and energy! But if you don’t want to wait until then, or can’t make the day, you can ask your questions or sign up for a free survey and vouchers by calling 01273 472405, email communiheat@ovesco.co.uk or visit www.communiheat.org

As I write this piece, the UK is slowly emerging from lockdown. We’re delighted that during this most challenging of times, we’ve been able to keep on track with our mission for our village to reach net zero emissions. Over the last five months we’ve been visiting homes, undertaking heat surveys and getting a great understanding of the village and how we as a community could transition to Net Zero. I’d just like to say how grateful we are to the brilliant residents of Barcombe for all the support and enthusiasm.

So what’s next? Well, you might have seen our stall at the roundabout on 10th April. If you stopped to chat about CommuniHeat, thank you, and we hope you found it enlightening! We’ve arranged some more events, which you can read about below.

But before we get to that – we still need residents to sign up for energy surveys. Just as a reminder, you’ll receive a free, detailed report on your home’s energy performance. You’ll get vouchers to spend at Barcombe businesses, and be entered into a prize draw to win a night at the Secret Campsite!

Upcoming Events:

Our next webinars will be at 6.30pm and 8pm on Thursday 13th May. Join us to hear how the project is progressing, and to have any questions answered. And on Friday 25th June we’re holding a “Community Energy Day.” It’s intended that this will be….(drum roll….) an ACTUAL LIVE EVENT! At the ACTUAL Village Hall! It’s a great opportunity for you to find out more about any aspect of the project and meet local experts on home and community energy. You can learn how community energy works, view the beginnings of our data modelling exercise, learn how electrification could impact the energy grid, and find out more about ways of financing the transition, latest developments in green technology, or anything else that particularly interests you. We very much look forward to seeing you there…IN PERSON!

You can sign up to take part in CommuniHeat at www.communiheat.org

You can also sign up, or let the team know your questions and ideas, via communiheat@ovesco.co.uk or 01273 472405. Alternatively, you can stop Mark for a chat in the village!

Watch out for updates on the CommuniHeat website, Barcombe Facebook page, and of course in the Barcombe News!

So let’s talk about your energy bills. 

You know they’re really important. And you know you really ought to check them to make sure you’re paying the right amount. And you need look into whether you can get a better deal from your current supplier, and shop around and see what else is out there. And investigate whether there any benefits you could be eligible for. And….urrrghhh….it’s all just a little dull, isn’t it? And a wee bit time consuming and complicated and perhaps a tiny bit daunting. And so you think….oh, look, I’ll definitely do it. Tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow.

Does all this sound familiar? It does to me – and I work in the energy industry! 

So why not take advantage of Ovesco’s free bill checking service? You don’t need to sign up to be surveyed for the CommuniHeat project – it’s available to ALL residents within the parish of Barcombe. Our trained Energy Champions can do all the legwork, and give you advice on stuff like understanding your bills, switching to a cheaper or greener tariff, reducing costs by paying by direct debit. They can suggest extra support you might be eligible for, and lots more – plus, they can give you tips to help you use less energy in the first place. 

I’d like to share a recent – and slightly embarrassing  – experience which demonstrates perfectly why this is worth doing. At my house we’d been on the same tariff with the same supplier for a number of years. We knew we should look at alternatives but somehow it just never got done. In fact, we never even got around to taking a meter reading. Our supplier was actually much more on the ball than we were – they kept sending us reminders. Which we kept putting on tomorrow’s to-do list. Meanwhile, they were estimating our monthly charges, because they couldn’t do anything else. 

This went on for months. Lots of months. Well….erm…for quite a bit more than a year, actually.  And when we finally got around to taking a reading, they told us they’d overcharged us. By really quite a lot. Inspired by this unexpected windfall, we asked them what other tariffs they could offer us, and they put us on a new and cheaper (but just as green) tariff straight away. We were left feeling torn – partly very pleased, partly kicking ourselves for not doing it sooner and saving ourselves more money. 

So, do get in touch with Ovesco today. We can check your bills remotely – there’s no need for a home visit. It won’t cost you a penny. And our Champions will do all the hard work, so you don’t have to. What’s not to like?

Well, it’s all been happening! And despite the challenges of undertaking a pioneering project during such unprecedented times, CommuniHeat is well on track.

By early February we’d been contacted by over 80 residents wanting to help Barcombe in its transition to net zero emissions by volunteering their homes for monitoring equipment installations and surveys. That’s a brilliant response – thank you everyone who has responded, signed up, sent in questions and attended our evening webinars.

To inform the CommuniHeat project we need a total of 200 homes to sign up to our free home energy assessments. With this in mind, we’re entering anyone responding from 1st March into a prize draw. One lucky winner will get to spend a night (in the week and out of holiday season) at Barcombe’s very own Secret Campsite, in either the Gridshell or Tree Tent, courtesy of the wonderful Tim and Lisa Bullen. Thanks guys! Remember everyone who takes part also receives a voucher to spend locally and we provide you with a bespoke home report and recommendations to make your home low carbon.

Our Home Energy Champions Frank, Bruce and Rafferty have been busy contacting residents, installing monitoring equipment and undertaking energy surveys. Don’t forget as well as undertaking the surveys the Champions can help advise you on your energy bills and the best ways to save energy at home.

In other news, in January we made the TV news! Many of you will have seen it, but if you haven’t it’s on YouTube – just put “CommuniHeat Project Barcombe – BBC London and South East” into the search engine of your choice, and you’ll be able to see the aforementioned Tim Bullen and Ovesco’s very own Chris Rowland being interviewed. Since the piece went out we’ve heard from many other rural communities – not just across Sussex but in Devon, Wales, Herefordshire, Hampshire and more – who have been inspired and want to do something similar. It’s great to see such appetite for change across the country. As you may know, we’re busy writing a book about the project which we hope will give guidance to other communities like ours who want to go zero carbon.

And finally, as part of our effort to understand the best solutions for the village to collectively move away from oil heating, you’ll soon see our new weather station, which will be installed at The Secret Campsite. The station will closely monitor local conditions, including temperatures and the amount of solar radiation and wind in the area. We’ll use the data from the weather station along with the data being collected from homes to more accurately predict how new low carbon heating and generation in the village will behave. This will allow improved understanding of how heating demand and solar PV generation would change depending on local weather.  This is particularly important to assess those times when the electricity network might be struggling –  especially in extreme  conditions such as the cold winters of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

Keep an eye on FaceBook, www.communiheat.org and Barcombe news for updates. And keep those questions and ideas coming! Email communiheat@ovesco.co.uk or call 01273 472405 and speak to one the Ovesco team. Or stop me for a chat if you see me out and about – I really don’t mind!

The Ovesco team has been out and about in Barcombe quite a bit of late. We had our event at the village hall in June, and our stall at the Barcombe Bonfire event in July. We even did a spot of door knocking! We’ve delivered questionnaires to every home in the village. If you’ve returned yours already, thank you! If you haven’t had a chance, please do take a few minutes to do. We included an envelope to return it in, or you can drop it off at the village shop. Or you can do it online at www.communiheat.com. You can also still have a free home energy assessment!

It’s been great to talk to so many people. There’s definitely plenty of appetite for the CommuniHeat project, and almost everyone recognises that it’s essential to transition away from fossil fuel heating, and quickly. There have been plenty of questions too – which is just as it should be. And one of the most frequent questions is – how’s it going to be paid for?

This issue is so fundamental to the CommuniHeat project and to the transition as a whole. How can it be made achievable and affordable for all? It’s been great to see it in the news recently, with experts calling for poorer UK households to receive free heat pumps, and the Prime Minister acknowledging to the Commons Liaison Committee that there are challenges that must be met around affordability.

Well, we have some welcome news ourselves on this front! We’ve been made aware of a new source of funding for green home improvements for homes in East Sussex, worth up to £10,000 per household. These improvements could include better insulation, heat pumps, solar PV or thermal, and much else besides. This particular funding is designed for people on lower incomes living in homes which have a below average standard of energy performance, so it’s not a complete solution. But if you qualify, we would definitely recommend looking into it.

To be eligible you need to have:

1. A gross (before tax) household income of under £30,000 p.a. OR a net household income of less than £20,000 after tax, NI, mortgage or rent and council tax. (Please note that disability benefits aren’t counted as income.)
2.A current EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of D, E, F or G.

Applications need to be submitted by 30th September 2021. If you think you qualify, feel free to contact us on communiheat@ovesco.co.uk or 01273 472405. If you think you might be eligible, but you aren’t sure, get in touch anyway and we’ll help you figure it out.

As the move towards decarbonising heat gathers momentum, other funding will become available. Rest assured we’ll also be keeping a very close eye out, and as soon as we hear of any, we’ll let you know!