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TAYVALLICH ENERGY AWARENESS STEERING GROUP
Following a public meeting at the Tayvallich Village Hall, with 41 members of the public in attendance, and following a presentation given by Paul Phare of ALIEnergy, it was decided to form the above group.
A constitution has been drawn up, and more info will appear here as received.
CONSTITUTION FOR ; TAYVALLICH ENERGY AWARENESS STEERING COMMITTEE.
Tayvallich Energy Awareness Steering Committee Meeting Tayvallich 28th September 2005. Libby Anderson's House.
Participants: Libby Anderson, Gordon MacMillan Paul Phare Dougie Chirnside Ewen Cameron
The meeting was chaired by Libby Anderson and minuted by Gordon MacMillan. Apologies were received from Louise Logue who was unable to attend.
1. Feedback from meeting with planning office and Scottish Natural Heritage Members of TAESC held a meeting with the mid Argyll planning Office and SNH to inform the selection of appropriate sites for erecting wind turbines. The area under discussion was from Ardnow point to Keills point.
Both agencies explained that the area is subject to restrictive land management policies, because the area is classified as a National Scenic Area. There are particular sensitivities around Ardnow where a black grouse study is currently underway.
This means that siting windmills is likely to be difficult, but not impossible. Both SNH and the Planning Department are responsive to the demands of local communities. Further, these agencies can be pushed as Libby's acquaintance, Ross Marshall, at the UK Environment Agency, informs.
Paul Phare explained that tight planning restrictions will push up the cost of feasibility studies and environmental impact assessments. As a rough guide, a full Environmental Impact Assessment for a turbine generating at least 5 Mw of power, will cost about £80,000. An environmental statement for a turbine generating under 5 Mw will cost about £20,000. The planning sensitivities around Tayvallich are such that these up front costs will have a major impact in the financial feasibility of the project.
Given the planning restrictions, together with the anticipated concerns of the community, it was considered that a large scale wind generation project may not be appropriate.
2. Overview of TAESC's enquiries into community projects using alternative energy Ewen Cameron provided a succinct overview of TAESCs findings to date.
Hydro Resources: limited, small scale projects could be established but would only be sufficient for one or two houses. Would not generate enough electricity to sell onto the grid and generate income for the community.
Tidal Resources: are significant, but technologies are insufficient to exploit these at the moment. This may change in 5 - 10 years time, but impact on the marine ecosystem will be a clear environmental constraint on any proposed development.
Woodchip Combined Heat and power: The most technically feasible and acceptable option, but only financially viable if there is a housing development which can benefit from the output. Given current concerns about proposed further housing development, this is not an option that TAESC wish to promote.
Wind Power: Technically Feasible, but only viable if a proposed project has overwhelming community support to take on SNH and the planning department. Could be done but would be hard.
Solar Power: It is technically and financially viable to install solar panels on individual houses to heat water. However, it is considered that this will not generate enough power for a community revenue generating project.
3. Presenting Findings from TAESC to the Community
It was agreed that TAESC would present its findings to members of the community at a meeting to be held in the village hall before the end of October 2005. The meeting is not a public meeting, but a community meeting.
An overview of the Group's activities and findings will be presented under four headings.
Options for a community owned renewable power generating project. To be presented by Gordon and Dougie. Providing feedback from Dougie's trip to Gigha, the consultations with SNH & the planning department, and an assessment of the viability of harnessing local renewable resources.
Options for community owned energy saving projects using renewable power. To be presented by Paul. Includes an assessment of acquiring a school bus powered on renewable energy, together with other options for renewable energy use in the village hall.
Options for individually owned, domestic projects, based on renewable power. To be presented by Ewen, Louise and possibly Hans. Includes details of solar panels, domestic energy surveys, wood pellet stoves, roof top windmills?
Proposed community sweepstake for energy efficiency To be presented by Dougie and Hans
At the end of the meeting, participants will be asked to express there support for pursuing any of the options which have been presented.
4. Actions
Libby will book the hall for an evening in the last week of October and advertise the event.
Ewen will host the next meeting of TAESC in his house at 8.15 on Thursday 13th October.
Paul to gather information on the Findhorn renewable energy bus project.
Douggie to speak to Hans and see if he is happy to participate in the community meeting.
5. The next meeting is to prepare for the community meeting at the end of October.
Tayvallich Energy Awareness Committee Meeting Minutes. Carnan, Tayvallich Monday 21st August
The committee resumed to assess the changing situation and the latest technology. Apologises from Ewan Cameron Present: Libby Anderson, Douglas Chirnside, Gordon McMillan, Hans Uncles and Paul Phare [advisor]. Gordon McMillan submitted resignation. Resignation accepted
Paul showed a video by ‘Invisible Heating Systems’ He reported on this technology and its possible implementation as a booster to the Hall heating. This idea could be incorporated into a layer below the Sports Court surface or the adjacent parking area assuming this was to be finished with TARMAC. Similar access to heat sources could be accessed under Tayvallich Bay or even under the football ground. However it was proposed that the work on the new Sports Court and the adjacent parking area provide an easy access to the subsoil. Heat recovered from such a scheme can be stored in a layer of rock or sand at a deep level below the hall and brought up in the winter as required.
It was understood that the program for the Sports Court is well advanced. Their committee has been busy with this project for a long time. It was therefore agreed that the TEASC take on a major role in funding and organising the heating proposal if it were to go ahead. It was agreed we would present a plan to the Sports Court committee when we had an assessment in place. Libby agreed to measure the volume of the hall. Paul would collect the information to submit a package to Chris Todd and the Sports Hall committee. It was also agreed that we wished to be of assistance rather than add to the work of the Sports Court committee. We would also seek full funding for the tarmac surface. We were told that this whole system could attract a large amount of funding especially when it could be categorised as a demonstration project and attract maximum grants. It was realised that a lot of money would still have to be found. Paul suggested that a geological survey for the substrata could be fully funded.
We discussed co-opting a new member to the committee but decided to review this later
Colonsay and Tiree are taking up Dougie and Hans’s solar panel competition idea. The community solar panel scheme to install panels locally at a reduced price will go ahead when we have the structure to implement it. Following the completion of the Tayvallich Challenge competition in December to win a solar panel including installation, we will collect names of those people interested in a less expensive solution than they would have from a standard supplier. Libby was to add a button to the Tayvallich website for Jilly Wilson to post minutes on the net.
The presentation of the latest technology to the village this autumn was discussed.
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