Marches Energy Agency are accredited consultants for the BIG Lottery's Community Sustainable Energy Programme

This scheme enables not-for-profit community-based organisations to obtain up to 75% (or £5000) of the cost of feasibility studies, and up to 50% (or £50000) of the capital cost of installing renewable and micro-generation technologies

Depending on where you are we have also negotiated some great deals in reducing the required match funding for your community group: Shropshire (flat £50), Herefordshire (£0!), Staffordshire (flat £100).

Our expertise in identifying potential for utilising renewable energy and assisting with the implementation of installations means we are well placed to advise you on tapping into this funding. For new builds we can estimate energy consumption through using SBEM; providing your Part L compliance certificate at the same time!

So whether it's a wind turbine at your local school or a ground source heat pump powered by solar panels in your new village hall we can help!

Call Danny Lenain (01743 277119) in our Project Carbon Team for more infomration or email danny.lenain@mea.org.uk

Here at MEA we like to walk the talk - literally - we try to use sustainable transport wherever possible. To encourage us to do this (and to shout about what we do) we record all our business travel sources - and we're rather proud of the result - here's the first quarter of this year.

** our 3 company vehicles which are energy efficient, led by the Honda Insight Electric Hybrid (Registration BC02 LOW!) This is a category A vehicle delivering some 83 mpg rated at 80g CO₂ per Km.  The VW caddy has been converted to run on Pure Plant Oil.  This is 100% pure rape seed oil purchased in reusable drums.  Our largest vehicle is our VW transporter which we look to run on a 50/50 biodiesel / fossil diesel mix.

This doesn't show the number of miles we all travel by bike during the course of our work and we also try to do as many meetings by phone as possible to avoid travel altogether

To help us and remind us, we have a Green Travel policy - this is backed up by a number of measures of support: 

• Bike-to-work scheme whereby people can buy bikes through the organisation and effectively get them tax free
• Secure cycle storage
• Provision of showers at our place of work
• The hierarchy of travel is in the staff training when people join and supported by everyone within the organisation
• Bike to Work Breakfasts
• Loans for public transport season tickets

Plus disincentives for personal car use: 

• Restriction on staff parking spaces
• Low mileage allowance

On Sunday 17th August we took the Light Fantastic to the Chorley Show near Bridgenorth. The Chorley Show is a unique summer show in that it has for many years endeavoured to promote local produce, arts and crafts and more recently really take responsibility for its environmental impact. Last year we carbon foot-printed the whole show, highlighting ways in which their footprint cold be further reduced. They have taken many of our recommendations on board, with displays and stall holders relying  lesson generators, the 70's classic (gas guzzling) car show removed and an increased public transport provision for visitors to the show.

Despite the weekend of rain and an angry looking sky, the show was very well attended with over 2000 visitors. Our visit to the show was funded by Defra's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund co-ordinated by Shropshire County Council. We had over 1000 visitors, who took with them 1300 low energy light bulbs and 160 powerdown units. This will result in CO2 savings of 187 tonnes and retained economic benefit of nearly £81,000.

The Chorley parish community have a very active low energy lighting project on going and will be distributing further low energy light bulbs through out the community over the coming year.

To find out more about Light Fantastic, please click the link to the Carbon Forum website: http://www.carbonforum.org/light-fantastic

MEA has appointed a Policy & European Funding Manager to help steer the organization, Regional policy and actors, on delivering Europe and West Midlands' priorities on climate change and sustainable energy. The promotion and sharing of best practice in these fields will strengthen the influence of the Region in policy review and development, and encourage future project and partnership development.

As a Project Manager for the Agency since joining in 2004, Manager Katherine Shepherd has a good understanding of projects, issues and challenges related to the climate change agenda. The role is founded on the belief that the sharing of knowledge, experience and best practice, and cross-sector cooperation both within and between regions, is essential for more rapid progress in delivering a low carbon future and for guiding policy makers at all levels.

Please contact katherine@mea.org.uk for more information and partnering opportunities.

MEA has secured funding as coordinator of an innovative European project on energy efficiency and renewable technologies in historic areas and buildings.

The project - Sechurba - involves 13 partners from 7 countries (Greece, Denmark, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Ireland and UK) and aims to demonstrate how our heritage can be used as a cultural, social, economic and environmental opportunity using sustainable technologies, rather than as a barrier to a low carbon future.

The inaugural meeting is on the 9th September when all partners will visit Shrewsbury to meet for the first time to discuss the project and visit case study buildings in the historic town centre.

For further information - contact the Project Manager, Nicole on 01743 277109

Picture above shows Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery at Rowley's House - fine example of early 17th Century timber-framed buildings