Cleobury Country Environment Forum (CCEF) want to build on the success of their energy efficiency work with the local community by harnessing locally available renewable energy. This includes a biogas or anaerobic digester plant that would convert local farm, household and commercial food waste into useful energy: electricity for use on site and export to the grid, with heat available for local use. This plant could produce the equivalent of up to 30% of the Cleobury Mortimer’s power and hot water needs, displacing fossil fuels and providing a local, cheap and reliable source of renewable energy. Additionally, liquid and solid fertilizer by-products may be made available from the converted waste. Working with a local farmer, they are looking into the option of locating the plant on a farm, just outside the town.
Feasibility work on this is ongoing, with much research already done on identifying local sources of waste that could be used and neighbouring businesses that could make use of the heat produced. Work is currently underway to identify the right type of plant for the site and understand all the planning and permitting requirements that it will be necessary to meet. A business plan for the initiative is also being developed.
The plan to finance the biogas plant is to create a local community co-operative, provisionally called Cleobury Country Community Energy Ltd (C3E Ltd) with at least 50% funding from shareholders (£250-25,000 is a typical individual contribution range, with one vote per contributor). This capital will be used to buy the equipment and fund the start up of the business. Over time returns could be better than for a savings account and there are tax incentives available to some investors. Raising this capital will require a major campaign to involve the Cleobury Country community in an exciting opportunity which could also see the implementation of other renewable energy technologies - the first of its kind in the UK.
For more information about the activities of CCEF, please visit:
