Energy

Community Power for Whittington?

An increasing number of communities are beginning to generate their own power. Places like Tutbury (hydro), Fintry in Scotland (wind), West Oxford (solar, wind and hydro) and Hook Norton in Oxfordshire (solar and biodiesel) have already started! They have set up community benefit ‘co-operatives’ and are starting to generate money for their communities and supply cheap renewable power - it is now possible to be paid by energy companies at generous rates for the electrical power that we can generate.

Could Whittington and Fisherwick follow suit? We have several community buildings that could house solar panels e.g. the Village Hall, our school and Church Hall, and more. We are also surrounded by woodland, so there could be opportunities for woodfuel/biomass. Wind speeds are not high – but we have a Windmill Hill so windpower has been used before in the village – as has hydropower at Cappers Mill.

WFEG are gently exploring the possibilities that might exist in our Parish for these sort of developments. There are no firm plans and we intend to fully consult residents and stakeholders before taking forward anything along these lines.

We will be having an Open Forum on the topic of Community Power for Whittington beginning at 8 pm on Thursday 13^th May in the Social Club, Fisherwick Road. We will have speakers from Low Carbon Hook Norton who have already established a community benefit society and are taking forward plans for community power. And there will be a Question and Answer session.

If you can't make it you can still join the great debate! Email us and tell us what you think.