Wadebridge wants to produce a third of its own electricity from Cornish sun and wind
January 17, 2011
A solar panel on every suitable roof – that’s the dream of a new community-wide initiative in the nearby town of Wadebridge in north Cornwall.
Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network (WREN) wants to harness the sun and wind to generate 30% of the town’s electricity consumption by 2015.
It intends to offer householders and businesses the opportunity to host photovoltaic solar panels on their roofs. This will help reduce their own electricity bills, provide local employment and build up a substantial community fund for investment in community projects.
The project has the support of North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson, town councillors, Cornwall councillors, and Wadebridge Chamber of Commerce.
The launch event is this Saturday 22 January in Wadebridge Town Hall between 10am and 4pm when there will be a public exhibition and displays. Local MP Dan Rogerson, renewable energy experts, local councillors and business leaders will be giving talks and answering residents’ questions from 2pm onwards.
WREN is a not-for-profit cooperative. It intends the financial gains to stay in Wadebridge so jobs and other benefits are brought to every section of the immediate community.
Cornwall has experienced a rush in recent months from developers and landowners wanting to set up solar energy farms and take advantage of the Government’s generous solar electricity feed-in tariff.
Camel CSA’s landowners – Benbole Farm, St Kew Highway – are due to start work any day on the county’s first solar farm beside the A39 near Wadebridge just across the road from our veg plot.
