Issue 2

Full steam ahead!

The start of 2018 marks the beginning of a very busy period for the Cornwall Local Energy Market (LEM).  We are almost at the point of selecting our residential participants and have around 20 major business installations planned for this year. 

Matt Hastings,  the LEM Programme Director says: "It's fantastic to see so many organisations moving into the local market space and there's a real buzz that LEMs could make a tangible impact on the UK energy market. In what is a UK (and possibly world) first, I'm excited to report that our virtual marketplace (the LEM platform) has just gone live to selected stakeholders."

He continues: "We are equally pleased  to report that there is a good cross section of businesses interested in the LEM, across a wide range of technologies including combined heat and power (CHP), storage, renewables, microgrids and demand side response. The team are busy signing up a variety of businesses from the manufacturing, renewables, food and public sectors."

Carbis Bay Hotel to generate its own electricity

Our latest signing for the LEM, Carbis Bay Hotel,  is installing two combined heat and power (CHP) units, which will help the site to keep its carbon footprint and energy costs down, generate electricity and help to relieve the pressure on the local grid.

Rated at 35kWe each, the units will produce electricity and capture and use the heat that is normally wasted in conventional power generation. They are nearly 90 per cent efficient, helping to unlock a reduction in carbon emissions of around 70 tonnes a year. Once installed, the CHPs will be connected to the LEM platform, which will allow the hotel to sell its excess energy.

We’re really excited to have such a prestigious hotel on board. Carbis Bay Hotel  is a local landmark and with such a varied site,  it's perfect for the trial.

Carbis Bay Hotel

Stephen Baker, owner and Managing Director of the Carbis Bay Hotel & Estate, is looking forward to seeing and sharing the benefits of this exciting new energy system: “Across our business, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and are striving to become environmentally sustainable throughout our Estate, whilst offering guests a luxury experience.

 Our energy consumption is considerable and with the completion this coming summer of our new £15m beachside regeneration project, which includes further lodge and suite accommodation and a new extensive restaurant and events facility, the chance to have these CHP units has come just at the right time.  They will assist to generate most of the increased energy we will need, and also enable us to link up to the local energy market.”

No place like home!

We are now several steps closer to choosing the 100 residential properties that will take part in the trial.  The homes that have made it through the selection process will be having their technical surveys over the next three months to check that the properties are suitable and can accommodate the chosen technology. Those properties that are suitable will then be invited to join the trial. 

Project Manager Donna Cooper said: “We anticipate the first batch of homes coming on board towards the end of March and are really excited to be nearing the time when we can start to see the technology in action.

“We will be installing solar photovoltaics - for properties that don’t already have this - and batteries, along with a very cool independent monitoring system that has been produced specifically for this project.”

                                                         Solar PV

Platform Beta goes live

Our unique LEM platform, which is giving homes and businesses the power to buy and sell energy and flexibility to the local and national networks, is currently being tested by some of our partners.  We are now in the Beta testing phase until the spring/summer with a range of organisations trying it out with the local network operator, Western Power Distribution (WPD). This phase will provide a final testing opportunity ahead of the full launch of the platform.

Different scenarios will be tested on the platform and we will be using real data to ensure the best outcome. This is an important milestone for us and the next step in our journey.

Grants for energy monitoring equipment for small businesses

We are inviting Cornish businesses to apply for grants of up to £1,000 to pay for energy monitoring equipment, which can help find ways to reduce energy bills.  This is the first stage on the journey to joining the LEM platform. 

Once installed, businesses will be able to find out how much energy is being used across their whole site down to individual devices; pinpoint and reduce power wastage; and identify opportunities to save energy in real-time.

Identifying which equipment on a site is consuming the most energy can really affect the bottom line. Energy management systems can have an easy to understand dashboard that reveal all the energy statistics for a building or site, in real time. If you can't measure it, you can't trade it!

We are already supporting several other Cornish businesses, including Deltor Communications, Winsdon Farm, Tregerles Farm, Goonhilly Earth Station, Cornish Spring Water, Teagle and Leyonne Energy.

To take advantage of this opportunity, please email cornwall@centrica.com

The Cornwall Local Energy Market is part-funded by European Regional Development Fund under the European Structural and Investment Funds Programme 2014-2020.

Read more about the Cornwall Local Energy Market on our website: http://centrica.com/cornwall