AMBITIOUS plans are being put in place for a dale village to generate its own electricity to provide power for every home -“and generate a profit by feeding into the national grid.
People in Barningham hope to become net carbon zero by producing power through an array of schemes such as solar panels, wind turbines, biomass and ground-source heating.
The idea came about when residents Martha McBarron and Mike Peach attended a meeting of Teesdale Action for Climate Transition (TACT) and met energy consultant Ewan Boyd. Since then Ms McBarron, an environmental consultant, and Mr Peach, a retired project director, have won backing from the village’s parish meeting, as well as many residents.
Mr Peach said: “There would be a survey of energy use in the village and to see what sensible improvement could be made.
“We would then look at general schemes. The likely solution is a mix of technologies – a mix of smaller wind turbines, solar panels and ground-source heat pumps.
“We are putting together a jigsaw of possible technologies.What we are proposing is a community-run asset which ploughs the benefit back into the village.”
Mr Peach said any cash raised from supplying the national grid could be used to make homes in the village more energy efficient through improved glazing and insulation.
Members of the parish meeting, and more than 25 residents who attended, agreed unanimously that the couple should make an application to the Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) for a £40,000 grant for a feasibility study.”
Applications for the cash close on February 1. If this is successful, the next stage will be for a RCEF grant of up to £100,000 to produce designs and a business case, and to make planning applications.
“We don’t know what is feasible yet because we haven’t done the feasibility study, but the long-term vision is to be net zero [carbon emissions].”
Ms McBarron said: “We have done a leaflet drop and we have spoken to more than half the village and people have been generally supportive.”
They have also met the village’s major landowner Sir Edward Milbank about their ideas. Mr Peach said: “It fits in with some of the things he is trying to do, so he is pretty supportive.”
People in the village can have a say on the scheme during a public meeting at the village hall tonight (Wednesday, December 11) at 7pm.
For more information, contact Ms McBarron by email at marthamcbarron@outlook.
com.
