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Power for People (to sell locally generated renewable energy to local people)

AncientMariner
I am both a County Councillor and a Community Councillor.


Recently an organisation Power for People have asked our Community Council to support the Local Electricity Bill. This would enable Parish, Town or Community Councils to set up their own energy companies to sell locally generated renewable energy to local people.  http://www.hawardencommunitycouncil.gov.uk/Hawarden-CC/UserFiles/Files/Item%209%20Local%20Electricity%20Bill.pdf


Whilst I can accept and understand that if our Community Council wished to install solar panels on our office (it is based in a small bungalow) we could sell the surplus electricity produced. However that would be into the network. It would, no doubt, be an interesting calculation to prove that this surplus electricity was actually consumed locally. The only other option would be to have our own network of distribution cables !


Or has the Director of the organisation who sent the email misunderstood how surplus electricity is sold?  Certainly a council could sell waste heat. in the form of steam or hot water produced by a waste incinerator for local housing or perhaps a sports complex (I am thinking of a swimming pool etc) but for either there would have to be arrangements if no heat or too much available.


Clive
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  • 0

    . . . Another question is, can small local generation companies actually produce electricity with less impact on the environment than the big companies?  




    Not really in my opinion. What happens if the local generation is a PV system, does everyone break out torches / candles after sunset? The answer will likely be no. Depending on the terms of the supply, either the customers or the small electricity supplier will need to buy from the grid when demand outstrips their capacity. Everyone will need smart metering, as I can see this having to be reconciled on a half hour basis. It would be interesting to see how it works in practice, as someone is going to need to purchase sufficient reserve in the local DNO supply to account for this. It seems another I’ll thought idea really. Sounds good in practice, but nobody has really considered the implications of what they are proposing. That would presumably come in the secondary (implementing) regulations, not the initial shiny law. 


    Regards,


    Alan. 

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  • 0

    . . . Another question is, can small local generation companies actually produce electricity with less impact on the environment than the big companies?  




    Not really in my opinion. What happens if the local generation is a PV system, does everyone break out torches / candles after sunset? The answer will likely be no. Depending on the terms of the supply, either the customers or the small electricity supplier will need to buy from the grid when demand outstrips their capacity. Everyone will need smart metering, as I can see this having to be reconciled on a half hour basis. It would be interesting to see how it works in practice, as someone is going to need to purchase sufficient reserve in the local DNO supply to account for this. It seems another I’ll thought idea really. Sounds good in practice, but nobody has really considered the implications of what they are proposing. That would presumably come in the secondary (implementing) regulations, not the initial shiny law. 


    Regards,


    Alan. 

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