Posts by Emily Bullock

An exciting opportunity to join Dorset Community Energy as Technical Director, providing management of the Asset Manager, Project Managers and external consultants.

This is a new role, expected to be for 1 – 2 days per week, with remuneration between £25 and £35 per hour depending on experience.

Apply by 6th November 2021.

(Employment status is self-employed).

Click here for Job Description and application process.

The aim of the Community Fund is to support projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions and or address fuel poverty. 

The most recent funding round closed in July 2021 and the following awards were made:

• Blandford School – to support the installation of LED lighting in classrooms.
• West Dorset Friends of the Earth – to support events in Bridport during Great Big Green Week
• Lyme Regis Development Trust – supporting transport costs for the Community Fridge and Social Supermarket that diverts food going to waste and uses it to provide nutritious meals for those in need.
• Dorset Climate Action Network – to support the West Dorset Open Eco Homes event.
• West Bay Discovery Centre – to support interactive climate change display 
• Plastic Free Bridport – to support a community picnic with no single use plastic. 

Keep an eye on our website for updates for future funding rounds.

Energy Local Bridport went live in September 2021. The Club has started with a ‘mini Club’ of 14 households whilst we check that things are running smoothly. The mini Club has become the first Energy Local Club in England to start operating. We are anticipating some teething problems, but once we are confident that the Club is operating well we will expand the Club to include all 55 households who have signed up. Energy Local Bridport is a co-operative, registered with the FCA. The Directors of the co-op had their inaugural meeting on a suitably windy day at Ashlane Farm by the wind turbine. It has taken us a long time to get to this point. The project was impacted heavily by COVID 19 and technical delays, so we are now very excited to see the Club starting to trade local renewable energy.

DCE’s fifth AGM was held via Zoom on the 12^th July, with 27 attendees and 18 proxy votes received, over 20% of our membership was represented.  As well as the formal AGM, there was an update on current projects to install a further 1100kW of solar panels, as well as an update on Energy Local Bridport. 

One attendee: Sally Cooke said: “Brilliant AGM, I was inspired! What a tonic to hear of all the good things that are going on.”

The presentations and minutes can be found on our Members page.

The GBGWeek is a national campaign run by the Climate Coalition, aiming to create a mass of green events throughout the UK during this week: asking the question particularly relevant after the IPCC’s latest report: if not now, when?

West Dorset FoE (and partners) has organised a series of events, urging other groups and businesses to partake in the week.  As of August 29th, there are 14 events planned, keep an eye on their website for the updated list.

In particular there will be an Opening Gathering on Saturday the 18th at the Millennium Green. This will start at 10:30, finishing at around 2:30, with stalls, music and will finish with a picnic. At 12 noon, after a few speeches, the Mayor will make a proclamation: sending our support to the delegates in Glasgow.  Participants will be urged to bring a picnic, with as little single-use plastic as possible: soup & coffee will also be provided.

DCE is a Community Benefit Society set up in 2013 with the aim of increasing the deployment of renewable energy in Dorset with community benefits. Our current portfolio includes 22 community-financed solar PV installations on schools, hospitals and community buildings (total installed capacity 1,100kW) with an income from FITS, and more recently from selling generated electricity at a discounted rate to the building hosts.

In addition, Dorset Community Energy has recently completed a feasibility study into direct supply through the grid of solar electricity from one or more 250kW ground-mounted solar PV arrays to householders and businesses in Bridport. It is an innovative project working with Energy Local CIC and Octopus Energy – the first of its kind in England (there are several examples in Wales).

DCE anticipates a programme of works for the next few years and therefore the directors have decided to set up a flexible Project Management Framework of 3-4 companies that we can call on when new projects come forward. i.e. following preliminary work by the directors, a company on the framework will be offered a potential PV installation to develop.

There is no obligation- if the company cannot accept the offer at the time due to other commitments the offer will be passed to a second company on the framework. The procurement exercise started by this document is therefore for prospective project managers/ companies or consultants to apply to be included on the DCE Project Management Framework based on their experience, knowledge and day rate.

Full details and how to apply.

This year’s AGM will be held by Zoom at 7pm on Monday 12^th July at 7pm. In addition to the formal AGM there will be presentations and questions on our latest projects which include almost 500kW of solar panels at Weymouth College and the innovative Energy Local Bridport project. Energy Local Bridport will be the first example in England of local renewable energy generation supplied directly to householders through the existing grid.  The formal AGM papers and a Zoom meeting joining link will be emailed to all members 3 weeks before the AGM.