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SidEnergy

Today and tomorrow:

Here’s a snapshot of how energy projects have been doing in the Sid Valley:

Search for SidEnergy – Vision Group for Sidmouth

Back in 2016 we wrote:

SidEnergy is the community energy group for the Sid Valley covering Sidmouth, Sidford and Sidbury in Devon.

 The aims of SidEnergy are to engage the community in energy and climate change issues and to provide economic and social benefits to the community by improving energy use and reducing fuel poverty. Our efforts are focussed in three areas:

  • education about energy and climate change: we contribute to holding Climate Change Week and the Sidmouth Science Festival
  • conservation of electricity, gas and transport fuel: including switching energy suppliers, reducing energy bills and tackling fuel poverty
  • generation of electricity locally:- we are collaborating with other community energy groups to identify community buildings in the Sid Valley, such as schools, for solar PV systems

SidEnergy is run by volunteers and group members can provide independent, impartial advice on:

  • switching energy suppliers – we usually have a table at the monthly farmers’ market at Kennaway House and can check if a better deal is available for gas and electricity; bring in a recent utility bill
  • how to save money on electricity and gas bills by reducing energy consumption
  • renewable energy, battery storage and other new energy technologies.

SidEnergy was originally the Sid Vale Energy Action Group, members of which formed a community enterprise, SidEnergy Limited, with the intention of raising money to install solar PV panels on community buildings. In autumn 2015 government suddenly changed its policy on community energy and our potential projects were no longer financially feasible. The limited company was deregistered in June 2016.

Join us! We are keen for new members to join our friendly informal group and hold meetings every three months or so in a local pub.

SidEnergy can be contacted through our Contacts page.

SidEnergy had to fold almost a decade ago with the withdrawal of the Feed-In-Tariff system:

FITs_Review_Govt__response_Final.pdf

As reported in the Devon Community Energy Impact Report 2018:

SidEnergy – failed to find suitable projects due to FIT cuts, raising awareness and fundraising for fuel poverty 1524557533_Regen_Devon_CE_Impact_Report_-_Final.pdf

In 2020:

There are some great initiatives happening in the region:

Cornwall Local Energy Market: trials prove successful – Vision Group for Sidmouth

Energy transtion: from Devon to Ungersheim – Vision Group for Sidmouth

Whilst the SidEnergy project has had to be put on ice, there has still been activity:

The Neighbourhood Plan has several Policies on energy:

Policy 19: Renewable energy and green employment initiatives will be supported and encouraged. https://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/3454115/svnp-adopted-version.pdf:

It is thought that this could be pushed a little: the problem is resources.

The Town Council and its Environment Cttee is also interested in these issues – and has adopted its Environment Policy:

Sidmouth Environment Policy – Vision Group for Sidmouth

And under ‘low carbon town’, it specifies:

Support the appropriate generation and use of renewable and low carbon energy.

https://www.sidmouth.gov.uk/images/Mins-ENV-300919.pdf

The Cttee is also keen to get going with a local carbon footprint project as part of the STC’s action plan; in October 2020, the Cttee had a presentation from Jo Earlam, author of Rosa’s Footprint:

https://www.sidmouth.gov.uk/images/Mins-ENV-121020.pdf  

And Jo is keen to push this too:

Think Footprint | Facebook

There are plans for the revitalisation of the Sid Valley, which might include both local and national initiatives:

Should Sidmouth have its own e-trike service? Press reports – Vision Group for Sidmouth

A green industrial revolution? – Vision Group for Sidmouth

And there is keenness to promote the Sustainable Sidmouth brand with various awards – which might include a joint Sustainable Sidmouth & SidEnergy prize to the business which is doing most to reduce its carbon footprint:

Sustainable Sidmouth and the Transition Town movement – Vision Group for Sidmouth

In other words, there is clearly interest locally to do something on energy through projects and initiatives.

In 2024:

The CAPS project was set up in 2022 – bringing together those in the Valley who are keen to promote awareness and action on climate change:

CAPS – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth

The Partnership feel residents, businesses, groups and individuals in the Sid Valley might be galvanised into doing even more – and is also looking at the possibilities of local energy production:

“We can build on the solid platform of awareness of the changing climate to start building practical projects to address the changing climate locally,” says Dave Bramley, CAPS lead. “We understand that people want to see real progress on the ground – and so we’re hoping to look at energy generation, food production and other possible actions we can take forward here in the Sid Valley.”  CAPS looking forward! – Climate Awareness Partnership Sidmouth

There are possibilities emerging – with potential help from central government.

There is community energy:

As of September 2023, as a result of our efforts, the Government have announced a new £10 million fund for groups across England to start up and expand and has committed to a consultation on how to remove the barriers community energy projects face and will report annually to Parliament on it. This is excellent, but the harsh regulatory environment is still in place. We are working to ensure that the consultation can deliver the market reform needed for local projects to thrive. The Community Energy Revolution — Power for People

The solution that we recommend to overcoming barriers and realise potential growth is to enable community groups to sell electricity that they generate to local customers. We laid out a mechanism that would do this in last year’s Local Electricity Bill, which we authored together with Dr Jeff Hardy, Nigel Cornwall and other energy system experts. Our Submission to the Government’s “Barriers to Community Energy Projects” Call for Evidence — Power for People

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