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H.E.A.T. energy survey results Proposed H.E.A.T. constitution
Meeting minutes: 12/4/07 (AGM)
8/3/07 8/2/07 11/1/07 14/9/06
1/6/06
A new organisation has been formed called H.E.A.T. This stands for Harberton Energy Action Team. The motivation behind H.E.A.T. is, on behalf of Harberton, to do the following:
- Understand all aspects of present energy costs
- Know what options there are for change
- Learn from each other's experiences in this area
- Take advantage of group purchasing power
- Deliver energy solutions to the community
There can't be a single person in Harberton who is not concerned with the huge increase in their electricity and heating costs. And we all care for the environment. As a village we probably pay something around £250,000 each year for our energy and pump hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Yes, just this small Devon village!
The first step for H.E.A.T. is to undertake a survey of the total energy costs for Harberton. A survey form is being prepared and will be distributed during June. Please do complete this as it forms a vital first step in knowing how better to use energy.
H.E.A.T. meetings are held every 2nd Thursday in the Family Room at the Church House Inn. A quick call to Paul Handover on 01803 840060 would be appreciated to confirm your attendance. Any questions, email paul@avbrief.com.
Apologies: David E, Helen S, Mike J, Dan F
Present: Alex R, Martin S, Flip W, Judith S, Paul H, Gill G
MINUTES of AGM
• No Report or Annual Accounts (first AGM)
• Officers appointed
Paul Handover: Chairman
Gill Gairdner: Secretary
Alex Rosso: Treasurer and Membership Secretary
• Other business
• Energy Trail: Belsford Mill, Upper Barn, Manor Barn Cottage, The Old Store, 1
Wesley Place all happy to be visited. 13th or 20th May, (2.00–5.00pm),
suggested dates, with 20th preferred. To be finalised asap. Publicity (Parish
magazine, posters, HC) when date is fixed. The Trail should be an opportunity to
attract new members.
• Membership form. David Ellison’s draft slightly modified. Will be circulated
to those on the current email list, and copies made in time for the Trail. Free
light bulb to all new members!
• Low energy light bulbs. Mark Norman has 3 samples from Denham’s on special
offer (£1.70) this month. A purchase of these (or equivalents) to be made on
behalf of HEAT in readiness for the Trail.
• Website. Some technical problems to be sorted out.
Present: David Ellison, Phil Sheardown, Helen Sands, Mike Jones, Clare Jones, Dan, Gill Gairdner, John
Constitution of HEAT now in place. David is in the process of opening bank
account with The Co-op bank.
Discussion re membership concluded that rate should be £5 per household p.a.
with "concessions available". David to draft a membership form
John circulated some information re Ground Source heating from Dimplex
Transition Totnes are arranging to bulk-buy solar panels. Dan to find out more
and consider requesting the Harberton e-circular to spread the details
Gill to follow up with Mark Norman the status of sourcing discounted energy
saving light bulbs. Discussed the idea of creating a display of the different
types of energy saving bulbs for presentation at village events, e.g Strawberry
Fair.
Presentation of Inconvenient Truth film at village hall discussed. David to ask
Paul about progress made. Dan to find out about Transition Totnes' projection
equipment.
Idea of a village Energy Trail was discussed. It would enable residents to
understand the various energy related initiatives that have been adopted. Might
include Belsford Mill. Manor Barn Cottage, The Old Store, 1 Wesley Place, Upper
Barn.
Several discussions raised the need for a HEAT website. David to find out how
Martin is progressing.
Mike agreed to develop his ideas re village wind power generation, car pooling,
village wood area.
Discussion re Electrisave meters and the idea of HEAT buying one for village
use. Dan agreed to investigate.
Next meeting 12 April, 7.30 pm, Church House. (to include first Annual General Meeting of HEAT)
Notice is hereby given that the first AGM of HEAT will take place at Church House Inn, Harberton at 7.30pm on 12 April 2007
Last night's meeting was attended by Geoff, David (Ellison), David (White),
Mark, Dan, Helen, Martin, Alison, Charles, Gill and yours truly.
There was general discussion regarding the draft constitution and with one minor
amendment it was approved by all present.
Officers were elected for the interim period until the first AGM to be held in
April.
The interim officers are:
Paul Handover, Chair
Gill Gairdner, Secretary
David Elison, Treasurer
It was agreed that the Club should open a bank account.
The next HEAT meeting will be on Thursday, March 8th with the focus on setting
up the membership process and agreeing an annual subscription, most probably £5
per household.
Once we have the bank account in place, arrangements will be made to put on a
village showing of Al Gore's excellent film, An Inconvenient Truth.
Martin Stokes generously agreed to be HEAT's webmaster.
Finally, Mark (Norman) has been in contact with an electrical wholesaler and it
looks as though an early tangible benefit of being a HEAT member will be access
to low energy lamps at a trade cost price with non-members paying a slight
premium to the trade price. More details in due course.
Regards to all,
Paul
Those present: Paul, Mark (Norman), David (Ellison), Phil, Gill, David, Geoff, Dan and Helen. Plus apologies received from Martin and Alison, Charles, Claire and Richard Pleydell. Very much appreciated.
There was a discussion about the next phase for HEAT and the general consensus was that it should become a Club. This would allow HEAT to have a constitution, elected officers and a bank account. The aims would still remain the same in terms of acting as a focus for people to research and explore energy saving options as well as undertaking practical projects for the community. The Club would not in anyway become something exclusive for the Members only. Indeed, whatever the agreed membership subscription to HEAT, all of us felt strongly that it had to be really small, perhaps around £5.00/yr.
The next meeting is Thursday, 8th February again in the family room at the
Church House Inn at 7.30pm.
David Elison kindly agreed to source some examples of Club constitutions that
would be applicable to HEAT.
Once the Club has been formed then one of the first items to organise is a
community showing of the Al Gore film, An Inconvenient Truth.
Regards to all - Paul
· Central area of 104 homes were surveyed, 38 (37%) responded. Great response, big thanks to all.
· 88 inhabitants across 38 homes, average of 2.32 per home.
· 13 (37%) Band B, 8 (23%) Band E, 7 (20%) Band D, 4 (11%) Band C, 2 (0.6%) Band F, 1 (0.3%) Band A.
· 22 (58%) homes heat by oil, 18 (47%) heat by wood, 10 (26%) heat by electric fires, 9 (24%) by storage heaters.
· 21 (55%) heat water by oil, 20 (53%) by immersion heaters, only 2 (0.5%) by solar panels.
· 33 (87%) cook by electricity, 12 (32%) by bottled gas and 7 (18%) by oil.
· Total electricity costs for 38 homes were £17,400 making an average of £460 per home.
· Thus across the central area, we may reliably assume a total electricity expenditure each year of £48,000
· 20 homes reported paying a total of £8,450 on oil for an average of £422 per home.
· 21 homes reported a total oil consumption of 49,700 litres for an average of 2,366 per home.
· Thus across the central area, we may reliably assume a total oil consumption each year of 250,000 litres.
· 12 homes reported paying a total of £1,350 on solid fuel for an average of £113 per home.
· 13 homes reported paying a total of £2,240 on wood for an average of £172 per home.
· Some homes were paying electricity prices up to 26% more for first unit charge and up to 50% more for next unit charge compared to the lowest prices being paid!
· The village bulk oil scheme was saving approximately £2,500 year for all those using oil.
· The total annual energy costs reported were £43,000 across 38 homes for an average of £1,131/year.
· Thus across the central area, we may reliably assume a total energy expenditure each year of £117,625.
· The village produces 1500 tonnes (enough to fill 300 hot air balloons) of Carbon Dioxide, of which 870 tonnes (58%) comes from Electricity production.
· To “FIX” this Carbon Dioxide into timber and stop it adding to the “Green House” effect would require 1500 healthy mature trees. This is just for running our homes and does not including cars, air travel, moving the goods and services that we use.
· To produce this Carbon Dioxide required 1.5 tonnes of carbon delivered to each house hold (oil, gas, timber etc) and two tonnes of carbon per household delivered to power stations.
Do come to the next H.E.A.T. meeting at 19:30 on Thursday, 10th August at the Church House
Our focus is now on negotiating the very best group purchase prices for electricity and oil to the benefit of all who wish to participate.
We are also arranging guest speakers to come to Parish Hall meetings over the winter to talk about relevant topics.
Finally, the more people that come and join the working group, the more that we can get done. So if you have some spare time and an interest in this subject, you are most welcome. H.E.A.T. meetings held every 2nd Thursday in the Family Room at the Church House Inn.
Any questions, email paul@avbrief.com.
Those present were: Charles, Paul, Alison, Dan, Bruce, Chris, Flip, Phil, David and Gill
1. Parish Hall meeting
It was agreed that the 24th October booking should be postponed until November
in order for Charles to be present. The speakers would be a representative from
Kensa, see
http://www.kensaengineering.com/index.html to discuss the installation of
heat pumps and Charles to give a first hand account of installing and using a
Kensa Heat Pump system. Also the evening would be used to explain further the
objectives of H.E.A.T. and to educate the audience on just what is a unit of
energy.
The evening would be free entrance but with a voluntary collection box plus a
small charge for tea and biscuits.
2. Bulk oil/electricity progress
A senior contact would be identified at Watsons Oil in order to conduct pricing
negotiations. Subsequently, a potential second oil supplier will be identified.
All agreed that nothing should be done to disturb the present bulk oil
arrangements for Harberton. A senior contact would be identified at both
Scottish Hydro and Atlantic Electricity so that negotiations could take place.
Discussed the fact that negotiations would be strengthened if we, as a customer
group, accept a reasonable length of contract period, all agree to direct debit
payments and highlight that we are engaged on a local power generation project
and will be looking for a grid relationship in the future.
3. Web site
Agreed that this is now becoming an important action.
4. Actions agreed by the next meeting
Paul
Re-arrange new Parish Hall booking date
Watsons contact
Progress report to Margaret
Contact Boilerjuice - see
http://www.boilerjuice.com/
Meet up with Dan to review contacts with Rob Hopkins and Richard Bointon
Paul/Charles
Arrange meeting with Watsons
Alison
Speak to Martin re web site (and if OK, Martin and Paul to meet up)
Send amended electricity supplier details to Paul
Dan
Establish contact details at Scottish Hydro and Atlantic Electricity.
Phil has forwarded the following:
Scottish Power plc, Strathkelvin House, Glasgow,
Senior Contact -
Philip Bowman, Chief Executive
01417 762431
This is on www.onesource.com
Gill
Pass on notes taken when contacting other local oil suppliers.
5. Next meetings
Thursday 12th October
Thursday 9th November
Both at Church House
Those present: 15 members of the local community
1. Further arrangements confirmed for the village energy survey.
Martin to arrange for 150 copies of the form on 2nd June, passed to Jane over
the week-end.
Jane to distribute to the immediate village on Monday 5th June
Paul to arrange collection of the completed forms from 12th June
Paul to distribute forms to small group by the 15th for data entry into Excel.
Analysis of results from 19th June by Paul, Charles and Bruce
2. Results review meeting and Strawberry Fair planning meeting at the Church
House, 7.30pm Thursday 22nd June
This meeting is to agree on the messages to be presented at the Strawberry Fair.
Amy and Julie to present banner ideas, etc. at this meeting
3. Final results review meeting, as previously arranged, at the Church House, 7.30pm Thursday 29th June
4. Amy presented ideas on H.E.A.T. logo and web templates. Agreed that Amy and Martin should proceed with this project.
5. The domain name
www.harbertonenergy.com has been registered until 2nd June 2011, cost of
£24.75. Hosting has been arranged at
www.wiserhosting.com
(offices at Foxhole in Dartington!) for the next 12 months, cost of £25.00.
Paul to liaise with Amy and Martin about setting up the web site and invoking
the Bulletin Board.