Will Shanks joins the SE24 Board

Will Shanks joins the SE24 Board

SE24 are pleased to welcome Will Shanks to the SE24 board following the resignation of Laura Wilson who has moved out of the area. Will has made a great contribution as a volunteer. He also brings down the average age of the SE24 board whcih we are very pleased about.

Will introduces himself.

“I am an SE22 native currently residing in E1. I have been concerned and passionate (although passionate feels like the wrong word) about climate change since I learnt about the greenhouse effect, and its consequences, in school at the age of 15. At the time I could not – and still can’t – understand why people didn’t seem to be taking it seriously; trying to tackle climate catastrophe became the motivation behind all the big decisions in my life.

I studied engineering at university and now work for an environmental research consultancy helping other organisations try to reduce their own carbon footprint or generate wider environmental benefits associated with things such as land use – a role I really enjoy. Before that I worked in France for an organisation in the energy efficiency sphere.

Frankly, I do not believe in the ability of the political/economic system which governs our lives to deal with climate change in a way which is just for everyone – particularly those in worse-off places in the world, or the ‘Global South’.

This is why organisations like SE24 are so important. I encountered SE24 through a friend and have been helping out in various guises for about 4 years, particularly on the more ‘technical’ issues like financial modelling of new projects. My heart is constantly warmed by seeing a group of local, friendly people take back power into their own hands for such a wonderful and critical goal. Achieving climate justice – by tackling things like fuel poverty in South London – is at the heart of what they do.

As a new director my only aim is to continue learning from the Board, allowing me to continue helping the local community into the future.”

SE24 Community Fund update: Winter Fuel Payments

SE24 Community Fund update: Winter Fuel Payments

Through 2021 our Community Fund has continued to help people facing fuel poverty. We all know how much energy prices are rising at the moment. Every little helps.

Each winter, many people struggle to afford to heat their homes. Living in a cold, damp home is stressful and very bad for health. Experts estimate that cold weather kills as many people each winter as smoking and alcohol abuse. For the elderly in particular cold weather increases the risks of heart disease, breathing difficultues, falls and injuries, and can deepen depression and sense of isolation. Such problems cost the NHS an estimated £1.36 billion each year.

This year our Community Fund has been boosted further by SE24 members who receive Winter Fuel Payments (a non-means tested benefit of £200 paid to all state pensioners each autumn) recycling their payment to those who most need it.

These payments have been channelled to those in most need via Christians Against Poverty (CAP) in the form of fuel vouchers and other emergency aid to help people keep warm this winter. (CAP work with people of all religions and none.)

CAP have entered an arrangement with the Fuel Bank Foundation (https://www.fuelbankfoundation.org/) who turn a one-off donation of £500 into £49 fuel vouchers for as many people as CAP refer to them this winter. Win-win! Any additional funds will be used by CAP to purchase additional items to help people stay warm such as duvets and scarfs.

So far seven members have added £1,400 to the Community Fund in this way. We will monitor the process this year and if we are satisfied with the way these funds have been used we will extend the scheme beyond members next year.

If you receive a Winter Fuel Payment and would like to donate your payment to SE24 Community Fund in future years please e mail us on [email protected].

Living Net Zero in Herne Hill

Living Net Zero in Herne Hill

by Jim Belben, SE24 Director and Company Secretary Last week I attended Jeremy Brackpool’s environmental master class. His title intrigued me – ‘Living net zero in Herne Hill’ is what I am aiming for and many others are too. Jeremy’s…

Farewell to Alastair Hanton OBE – one of SE24’s founding investors

Farewell to Alastair Hanton OBE – one of SE24’s founding investors

Alastair Hanton was a visionary and principled man who made the world a better place. Read his obituary from the Guardian here. He was an inspiration to all who knew him.

He was also influential in getting SE24 started. He was the key link in the chain that allowed us to undertake our very first installations at Herne Hill United Church (where he was a member) and Herne Hill Methodist Church Hall.

As SE24 was born out of our community cycling group, Whoosh, we are also proud of Alastair’s consistent campaigning for green transport.

This image of Alastair Hanton was used for a Southwark cycling campaign – one of many green initiatives Alastair was involved in in retirement

The SE24 story

The SE24 story

By SE24 Director Laura Wilson

SE24 Sustainable Energy was formed in 2014 by a group of like-minded individuals in Herne Hill, South London (who also spent a lot of time cycling together). We all shared a desire to take real action on climate change by developing locally owned, renewable energy assets sited on community buildings.

We became a Community Benefit Society (CBS or Bencom) in 2015.

We have since gone on to become one of the leading community energy groups in London with a proven track record in developing locally owned energy projects funded by community investment. 

How has SE24 grown?

In our early days we were mentored by well-established community energy group Ovesco (based around Lewes) then in Summer 2016 we launched our first share offer which successfully raised £80,000 from local investors to install 19.25kW of solar PV on two local church buildings: Herne Hill Methodist Church Hall and Herne Hill United Free Church. 

Mark and Alan celebrate our very first installation at the United Church, Red Post Hill

We soon moved on to two much larger, ambitious projects which saw us installing 100kW of solar PV at Dulwich College and 50kW at St Christopher’s Hospice for which we raised £200,000 from community investors.

In 2017 we were awarded a grant from the London Community Energy fund to develop a 25kW project at Walworth Methodist Church, which was installed with support from the British Airways Carbon Fund.  

SE24 panels at Walworth Methodist Church

Since 2019 we have been collaborating with neighbouring community energy groups SELCE (link) and CREW (link) to develop a community owned model for LED lighting in community buildings.

Most recently we were awarded feasibility funding from the London Community Energy Fund to install LED lighting and solar PV at The Charter School North Dulwich and LED lighting at Charles Dickens Primary School. This is a major opportunity for us. It will substantially increase our solar generating capacity, allow us to work with our local secondary school for the first time, and allow us to diversify into retrofit LED lighting.

We are seeking to raise £240,000 to cover these projects of which a little over half has already been covered by existing investors and friends.

How is SE24 run?

As a CBS or a Bencom, SE24 is governed by a set of rules based on the cooperative principles. We have 42 investors – almost all are local, south London residents. Every investor is a member of SE24 and is able to vote at our AGM – one member, one vote – regardless of the size of their investment. We are overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

We have a board of seven directors that bring a broad range of skills and sectoral experience to our organisation, plus a range of consultants and advisers who provide specialist skills.

We are all volunteers. All of us are passionately committed to ensuring that community energy plays a key role in the UK’s transition towards a low carbon economy with a decentralised energy system at its core.

In common with all community energy groups, SE24 also aims to generate positive social impact. Surplus revenue from our projects is directed towards our Community Fund which currently focuses on alleviating fuel poverty in the local area. 

We are part of the growing community energy movement across London and the UK. We are active members of Community Energy London and Community Energy England, which advocate and lobby on behalf of the sector and local communities.

Recently one of our directors, Paul Hallas, was invited to give evidence to the House of Common’s Environmental Audit Committee on the importance of the community energy sector in reaching the UK’s net zero target.

Please join us

SE24 is an exciting stage development. We are growing and diversifying. We want as many people as possible in our local communities to have the opportunity to invest in these local energy schemes. To download the prospectus and application form click below.

Celebrating the launch of SE24’s solar PV installation at Walworth Methodist Church

Celebrating the launch of SE24’s solar PV installation at Walworth Methodist Church

July 2nd saw the launch of SE24 Sustainable Energy’s latest solar PV installation. 76 solar panels are now installed on the roof of Walworth Methodist Church (see picture A).

These panels will

  • provide cheaper, greener electricity for the church and for all the community groups meeting on the premises.
  • help them shift towards renewables, leading the way for other churches and community groups.
  • Additional funds generated by selling surplus energy to the national grid, will be used to support and maintain the Southwark Peace Garden (see picture B) which the church created in its courtyard in response to violent crime in the neighbourhood.
A Some of the 76 solar PV panels being installed on the roof of Walworth Methodist Church
B Southwark Peace Garden. Maintenance will be supported by the SE24 Community Fund from revenue created from surplus electricity exported to the grid

This is the third church building that SE24 have partnered alongside its other three installations at a hospice, a school, and a swimming pool.

This project has been grant-funded with an LCEF grant covering the research and feasibility costs; and the British Airways Carbon Fund covering the capital and installation costs.

Community Energy Fortnight

The launch formed part of a major public meeting for Community Energy Fortnight which celebrated the achievements of community energy groups in South London – hosted by SE24, SELCE and Repowering London and featuring expert speakers – including Helen Hayes MP, and representatives from Southwark and Lewisham councils who lead each borough’s response to the Climate Emergency.

For more information