Energy

A community working group has been formed to look at how our energy needs can be developed to meet the challenges of climate change and increasing oil prices.

For more details contact Tim via energy@transitionchepstow.org.uk

January 2010 - Chepstow's bid for Low Carbon Community prize

In December 2009, Transition Chepstow worked in partnership with Monmouthshire County Council and South East Wales Energy Advice Centre in a £500,000 Low Carbon Communities bid.

The bid included green energy generation and energy saving measures at the Leisure Centre, Bulwark Community Centre and Thornwell Football Club together with other exciting ideas that are still being finalised!

Unfortunately, on this occassion the Chepstow bid was unsuccessful.  However, the partnership plans to look for other funding opportinities for these ideas.

For more information contact Tim via energy@transitionchepstow.org.uk

Solar Panels

Interested in fitting solar panels to your home? Phil Powell of the Energy Group has done some research into the best prices for photovoltaic panels (produce electricity) and has come up with the following prices and arrangements.

If you are interested in a group purchase or want to discuss these details, please call Phil on 01291 629936.

Household Energy Monitors for Free Loan to Local Residents!

Courtesy of South Wales Energy Advice Centre, Transition Chepstow Energy Group now has 10 household energy monitors to loan to the community. 

Help save money on your electricity bills and cut you carbon footprint with these small, simple to install devices!

For more information or to borrow an energy meter, contact Tim at; energy@transitionchepstow.org.uk

Chepstow To Be UK’s Most Insulated Town

Chepstow will shortly be the UK’s most insulated town saving residents £100’s off their heating bills. Every household in the town is being visited by members of the Transition Chepstow initiative to discuss the benefits of loft and cavity wall insulation and to encourage residents to insulate their homes. In Transition Chepstow’s last phase of promoting insulation the take up rate increased insulation by 92% in the Garden City area. These visits will be replicated throughout Chepstow in the coming months with the aim of making Chepstow the UK’s most insulated town.

Tim Melville, Transition Chepstow’s Energy Group co-ordinator noted that ‘It’s really a question of why we can’t afford not to insulate our homes to counter rising fuel costs and reduce carbon emissions. An average household heating bill could hit £1,200 this year and conserving energy is the easiest way to keep bills down.’

Without sufficient loft insulation the average house you can loose up to £1 in every £4 spent on bills. According to the Energy Saving Trust (EST) there are still up to 1.5 million UK homes with no loft insulation and almost 13 million with too little – that’s 1 in 2 homes with no or too little loft insulation. The EST advises that insulating your loft to the correct thickness of 270mm could actually make a saving of up to 15% off your heating costs, which for the typical household could be as much as £155 (£180 based on £1,200) a year.

To insulate your loft, if you are over 60 or are in receipt of qualifying benefits² insulation is its free. For all others loft insulation is heavily subsidized and costs £200¹ for a typical 3 bed semi - saving the cost of insulation in just over a year and saving energy costs every year. Cavity wall insulation is also free for the over 60’s and those on qualifying benefits² and costs £200¹ with an average saving of £100¹ per year.

If you want information on insulating your home or to take advantage of the free or grant aided offers just call the South East Wales Energy Advice Centre free on (0800) 622 6110. The Centre is managing the scheme on behalf of Monmouthshire County Council. ¹ Costs/savings for a typical 3 bed semi

² Qualifying benefits for free installation: Income support; Housing Benefit; Council Tax Benefit; Income Based Jobseekers Allowance; Attendance Allowance; Disabled Living Allowance; Disablement Pension (which must include constant attendance allowance); War Disablement Pension (which must include the mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance); State Pension Credit; Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit (where household income is less than £15,592; all households where one or more members is 70+.