Next Wednesday (20th April 2011), Transition Bookham will be launching their Energy Group by holding a free public meeting on 'Eco Homes', as a follow up to the recent Surrey Green Homes Event.

As well as a short film, they'll have four solar energy installers giving quick presentations. They'll no doubt take part in the Q&A session as well.

Time and venue info (including map link), along with other forthcoming meetings, can be found on the Transition Bookham calendar (click on an entry for details, use the 'Agenda' view to see events as a list).

On Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March, 28 homeowners throughout Surrey will open their doors to the public, to share their knowledge and experience about making their own homes more energy efficient and ecologically sustainable. Homeowners will be able to report on how these changes have affected their fuel bills, and the comfort of their homes.

Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at the global environment charity WWF, said "WWF is pleased to see so many green homes opening their doors to inspire others". This event has been organised by Action Surrey, in partnership with local environmental volunteer groups across the County.

To find out more, and to book free tickets, please visit the Action Surrey website.

Transition Ashtead's Solar Energy Presentation, on February 2nd, attracted an audience of over 70 people. Richard Warren and Fergal O'Driscoll of Solstice Energy, and Alban Thurston of Engensa, explained how to get the most out of the Government's renewable energy Feed-in-Tariffs, currently offering 8% return on capital investment, whilst helping to reduce CO2 emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels.

Both electricity and hot water generation were covered, whilst Sam Tilley of Infinite Energy looked at solar energy "farms" and Alban, wearing his "Juice From Your Roof" hat, discussed "buyers' clubs", where people join together to get rebates on installations.

A lively Q&A session followed, and by the end it was decided to organise our own buyers club, through the Transition Towns and other Surrey groups. If you are interested, please contact Barrie Mould at info@transitionashtead.org.uk. For more photos see here.

The Surrey Green Homes event on 26th and 27th March should be an opportunity to see solar technology (and other eco solutions) in place, and offer a chance to talk to property owners. Watch this space for further information.

Renewable Energy For Your Home - Hot Water And Electricity From The Sun

Meeting 8.00 pm, 2nd February 2010
Marshall Room - Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall

The guest speakers:

Richard Warren of ‘Solstice Energy’ will talk about the different types of solar energy systems, and the government Feed in Tariff scheme.

Alban Thurston, of ‘Juice from your Roof’, will tell us about his Merton buying club and the potential discounts for bulk buying PV panels, which, if there is enough of us, we might be able to make considerable savings.

Sam Tilney of ‘Infinite Energy’ talks about larger solar power schemes putting energy into the grid, and the commercial possibilities.

Come and learn from the experts about home solar energy installations. There will also be the opportunity to chat with local home owners who have already had solar panels installed for both heating and hot water.

The evening includes tea, coffee and refreshments plus a chance to find out more about Transition Ashtead.

For further details, please contact Barrie Mould.

The Close the Door Campaign is asking retailers to conserve energy by keeping their front doors closed. In the UK, businesses spend about £1.6 billion on energy a year, 20% of it is wasted due to sloppy habits. If ­two-thirds of the nation's shops took part, the saving in carbon emissions would be the equivalent of taking more than 1.1 million cars off the road.

Retailers are being asked to close their doors and display the campaign sign, with answers to objections, like "it's too hot inside, the shop next door has an open door, and customers won't come in.", being backed up with scientific research.

Customers are encouraged to ask stores to join the campaign, speak to managers, support shops and restaurants displaying the logo (and boycott ones that won't), or to just close the door!

A study they commissioned found an average shop with its doors open emits 91kg of CO₂ a week, if all retailers kept them shut UK energy usage could drop by 2.5%. Air curtains have little impact on emissions, being one of the biggest users of energy, typically consuming 24kWh a day.

The Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Working Group has been established to encourage people and organisations based in and around the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to adopt wood fuel as their primary method of heating and to use the wood fuel now being produced locally. Michael Sydney, Chairman of the Working Group comments;

"We are the most wooded county in the country, and much of this is secondary and low grade woodland that is ideally suited to wood fuel production. We should be aiming now to be the most wood-heated county in the country."

The Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Working Group is organising a Wood Fair at Birtley House in Bramley on Saturday 9th October 2010 to showcase woodland management, woodland products and wood fuel suppliers to the public.

For further information on the Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Working Group click here or contact Gail Sperrin, Working Group Coordinator on 01372 220651 or email gail.sperrin@surreyhills.org

According to this report on the BBC's web site, smart electricity meters in UK homes won't help reduce electricity usage (and thereby bills and CO2) if they do not have a display! What a shocker!

Luckily, the ones we lend out for free do!

Transition Ashtead Home Energy group is having its first public event on 7 April - see the advert below.  Also in my blog on 13 February I mentioned that we had applied for a Surrey County Council grant to fund our planned programme for the rest of the year.  We've recently heard that our application was successful and so we're pretty pleased with that.  First thing to buy are some display boards I think.

Derek Smith

Secretary, Traansition Ashtead Home Energy group

You are invited to find out how to save energy & money in your own home

A presentation by Russell Smith of Parity Projects

8 pm Wednesday 7th April,

Ralli Room, Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall

No entry fee. Tea/coffee and cakes available

With 27% of all energy in the UK consumed in domestic housing and 85% of our existing housing stock set to still be with us in 2050, we all need to act now to reduce our carbon footprint, and reduce our energy bills.  Russell’s company Parity Projects offers the full range of services required to reduce the energy use and the environmental impact of existing buildings. He won the DIY category in the Observer Ethical Awards 2008. He also won Building Magazine’s 2007 Award for Sustainable Refurbishment. The Observer Award judges said: “Russell and his company Parity Projects stood out from all the other nominations for their new way of engaging with the public, giving them the tools to reduce their house’s carbon footprint in an innovative and inspiring way.”

In addition to the presentation there will be:

A display and demo of domestic power monitors

A display and demo of thermal draught detector

Displays of energy saving products

Advice on government grants and the new feed-in tariffs

Information about domestic combined heat and power units (soon to be introduced in UK)

Hope you can make it!

The freely downloadable book Sustainable Energy - without the hot air, by David JC MacKay, is a ‘straight-talking book about the numbers’ which seeks actions that really make a difference when it comes to sustainable energy. For more information, check out David’s website.

This is my second Transition Ashtead report, this time on the Home Energy group.  We have just applied for funding from Surrey County Council’s new climate change fund to carry out a programme of activities designed to reduce carbon emissions from Ashtead’s houses.  The following description of our plan is copied straight from our fund application. 

1.  We aim to carry out a programme of planned activities over one year to promote the importance of reducing domestic energy consumption and carbon emissions to Ashtead residents. The plan is to have three events – the first in early April to initiate interest (speaker + some home energy efficiency equipment demonstrations), the second in June as a main event to have speakers and workshop/exhibitions on relevant locally available technology.  The third is to have a speaker and equipment display on home renewable energy options.

2.  We aim to set up a library of locally available energy efficiency equipment – some to show and some to loan e.g. draught meters, LED and low energy light bulbs, power meters so people can see and try them out.

3.  Get a small number of people trained in (a) draught proofing methodologies so they can train others to create a pool of people who can do this and (b) advising people on the grants available for domestic carbon reduction work and if necessary helping people complete the grant application forms.   We plan to carry this out as part of the Ashtead churches Act10n initiative in 8-12 July, and so the main beneficiaries should be needy and vulnerable people.

4.  Research local suppliers of energy efficiency and renewable energy suppliers and identify those with real expertise and good reputations and create a preferred supplier list or get them added to the approved trade lists such as Checkatrade

If anyone is interested in learning more about any of these activities you can ring me on 01372-378914 or email info@ transitionashtead.org.uk

Derek Smith