Bristol unveils £53k community energy winners

A total of 12 community groups have won funding for a range of energy projects across Bristol. The city council unveiled the winners today who will share a grant totalling […]

A total of 12 community groups have won funding for a range of energy projects across Bristol.

The city council unveiled the winners today who will share a grant totalling £53,193 through the Bristol Community Energy Fund.

It is an initiative encouraging local solutions for community specific energy challenges.

The projects were chosen on their potential to support local people to reduce energy use, move towards cleaner and renewable sources of energy and take measures that can help meet energy needs affordably.

One of the winners is local charity Bristol Playbus, which will install solar panels to their “Sensory Truck”, a mobile sensory environment for children with a disability or life-limiting illness.

The solar panels mean the equipment on the truck can work without the use of diesel generators, thus reducing emissions and educating young people about renewable energy.

Others include adding adding visual displays to St. Werburghs’ Connection Centre with the aim of telling the story about the energy efficiency and renewable measures being added to the site and supporting interns who are currently unemployed to work towards sustainable employment

Mareike Schmidt, Energy Service Manager at Bristol City Council and Chair of the judging panel

Said: “We’re working hard to create a community energy movement in the city – an inclusive approach to support and enhance the activities of the local energy scene. Energy is still considered a distant issue for many people but affects us in different ways – whether it’s fuel poverty or a desire to use cleaner energy.

“The role of community groups is so important in addressing the specific needs of particular groups and this is why we’re so pleased to see such a broad range of groups engaging with energy efficiency and renewable energy projects through the Bristol Community Energy Fund.”

The grant programme is targeted at not-for-profit organisations based and working in Bristol.

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