BACK TO RENEWABLE ENERGY HOMEPAGE
2. Western Power Distribution Presentation- Small Scale Embedded Generation – Andy Hood.
Presentation circulated with minutes.
3. Minutes of Last Meeting
Were approved.
4. Matters Arising
John Sunderland speaking to Nick Backhouse about planning issues, to encourage councils to be more consistent with regard to how they deal with planning issues.
5. Feedback from Steering Group
For a full account of the last steering group meeting, please see minutes attached. Highlights below:
•Business sub group looking at incentives to get business to decrease carbon emissions and talking to GOSW about a possible pilot under DSEN. EDF energy also offering support in terms of meeting facilities.
•Public sector group running a carbon footprint training day on 29th June targeted at LA’s. Update: For more information please see attached document.
•John Sunderland CEO North Devon DC gaining support of all Devon CEO’s for development of District level RE targets
•TN then provided information relating to the Local Area Agreement (LAA), which operates under the umbrella of the Devon Strategic Partnership. This 4 year agreement between DCC and the ODPM has 4 key strands. The 4th block relating to Economic Development and Enterprise has ‘sustainable energy’ as one of the key outcomes. This could expand RED beyond the objective 2 areas of Devon and could potentially increase RED funding from £1.1M to £2.2M. Final draft due by the end of June. There needs to be discussion on how to develop DCC area with the unitary areas of Plymouth and Torbay.
6. Renewable Energy 4 Devon Bid
TN gave a presentation about the programme. Its main aims are:
•To expand the RE market
•To build on the local capacity of the local RE sector to meet the increased demand.
It will promote RE technology across the following sectors: domestic, business, public and community and operates in the Rural Objective 2 areas of Devon.
TN and Mark Hodgson are still working on final details which will be available on the RED website when it is officially opened at the end of Sept.
AL identified the problem of the skills shortage i.e. plumbers to install Solar HW heating systems. PB said that the RED Business Support Officer will be tasked with looking at this issue. It was agreed that sub group needs to engage with further education sector to discuss how best to develop a course.
Action: TN circulated the RED questionnaire and asked all to proof read and add comments and post back to Tony at Exeter Uni.
TN also circulated database of Devon Businesses which was one of the action points of this sub group.
Action: If organisations want to be added to this please send details to info@dsen.org.uk
Update: Please find this list attached.
7. Sub Group Action Plan – priorities and timescales
Members considered all the Group’s prioritised Action Points and the impact that RE4D would have on them. There was reported progress on other actions such as the need to create local case studies, a number of which will be on the RED website and the 2004 Devon RE strategy which is also now downloadable from the DSEN website.
Action: It was agreed that the Action Plan would need a major update by PB and TN in light of the above to demonstrate the progress of these objectives, the link between RE4D and the RESG and the importance of RE4D to the development of RE in Devon.
8. Members projects/news/events update.
Devon Towns Forum is holding a funding for community groups seminar on the 27th June at the Crossmead Conference Centre.
Action: PB to investigate how to disseminate information at the meeting.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
26th September 2006, 1.30 – 4pm
Senate Chamber, Northcott house
Exeter University
