Since our last report, we have been doing lots:

Showcasing renewable energy at Transition Belper’s Eco Market: With a live feed from one of our member’s solar panels to Number 28.  An ideal day: 21 KWh total output for a 3.5 KW system – attracting £2.18 export credit from the supplier (it all mounts up!)

Hosting Vaillant’s live heat pump and hydrogen demonstration van, for the public to view the very latest models, and have their questions answered by expert engineers, who commented

“Vaillant were proud to support the Belper Eco Market this weekend. We had a great turnout, possibly helped by the fantastic weather.  It was good to see so much local interest in low carbon technologies, and I think quite a few were surprised to learn that we manufacture the heat pumps right here in the town, which dramatically reduces their carbon footprint”.

Thanks for all the effort you made to come, Vaillant. See you next year.

And – learning from our mistakes – from complaints and comments about the effects of diesel generator fumes (powering the heat pump in the van) on those nearby.  An irony not lost on us – for which we apologise to all affected – and will remedy next year!

We submitted a detailed response to Derbyshire County Council’s draft plan (March 2023) to “Decarbonise Derbyshire’s Housing”, with a view to Transition Belper contributing effectively to this programme of work.  This is far too big a challenge for any one agency – Derbyshire has 350,000 homes of which 60% are rated EPC D or below i.e. highly energy inefficient – but voluntary organisations with strong local connections such as Transition Belper have a vital role to play.

We’ve been getting trained up to provide a more professional advice service.  One of our team has successfully passed NVQ level 3 in Energy Awareness, and another has been accepted to study for a Masters Course in Sustainability and Adaptation  at the Centre for Alternative Technology.

And finally – soon – we are organising an event on 22nd / 23rd July for local householders who’ve done retrofitting work or installed renewable energy sources in their homes to showcase this to local people, and share their experience – see the seperate article above for details.

By Chris Ring