Sustainable energy company Gensource, based in Musselburgh, has been commissioned by Portobello community organisation Porty Community Energy to deliver a technical feasibility and system design for six sites for community-owned renewable energy systems across Portobello and the surrounding area. The ground-breaking project, also including Edinburgh-based social enterprise EALA Impacts, has been made possible by funding from Local Energy Scotland (see Note 1 below) to install solar and battery systems on local community buildings. The feasibility and design process will be completed early next year.
Some of the initial sites being evaluated include Portobello Town Hall, Portobello Baptist Church, Brunstane Bowling Club, Tribe Porty, Bellfield, and Lothian Dance Academy, with the project potentially expanding into Musselburgh as community groups there have expressed interest. The work is focused on delivering rooftop solar, considering battery storage and the impact of other changes in energy consumption, such as additional electric vehicle (EV) charging or low-carbon heating.
North Queensferry Community Centre – Solar PV & Battery Project
As well as delivering on sustainability, the project has a major cost-saving element for all the sites. Porty Community Energy will be able to sell electricity generated from the systems at a price that is below that of energy bought from the other energy suppliers. At a time of rising energy costs, this cost-saving benefit is particularly welcome to community groups and businesses alike. Porty Community Energy itself will get a return on investment based on the lower cost of solar electricity production.
Gensource, as lead partner and sustainable energy specialists, will manage the overall project and identify and appraise the community buildings. Once initial assessments and financial models have been completed, project partners EALA Impacts will assess building conditions and arrange consenting, such as planning application and building warrants. Porty Community Energy will then develop and offer the investment opportunity to the wider community, allowing the generation of locally-owned clean energy that benefits the community of Portobello and surrounding areas.
Josh King, Gensource Managing Director, said:
“We are grateful to Local Energy Scotland for supporting such an impactful project for the area. Likewise, we are delighted to have the opportunity to work alongside Porty Community Energy and EALA Impacts, engaging with the whole area on energy. Some of our team have supported other successful community projects, such as Linlithgow-go-solar, and we know it can be done. So, it’s exciting to do it again.”
Speaking for Porty Community Energy, Brenda Park, Director, said:
”For a long time Porty Community Energy has wanted to start a low-carbon community-owned initiative to provide cheaper clean energy to our local buildings, whilst offering green investment opportunities for the local community. We are excited to work with Gensource and EALA Impacts to make this vision a reality in a number of local buildings and look forward to sharing more information with the community on how they can take part.”
Porty Community Energy Team
Robert Wilson, Gensource Commercial & Operations Director outlined the scope of the project, saying:
“Like Porty Community Energy, Gensource is ambitious in its approach and wants the project to have a real-world and positive economic impact for the local community. As part of this, we are also considering looking at independent businesses that have the right energy profile, to improve the business case for the project to progress to installation.”
Gensource Directors – Joshua King & Robert Wilson
The ultimate aim of the project is to develop a technically and commercially viable option for community investment in renewable energy projects. Porty Community Energy as a group is looking at raising funds from the community (possibly through community bonds or shares). The capital derived from this would then be invested in the solar PV systems at different buildings as part of a community group-run, solar project. The buildings would get a reduction in energy costs compared with what they currently receive from the grid. Investors would get a return on investment from the community group, with any additional capital raised being available to be re-invested in wider community projects. The environmental benefits include a direct reduction in the carbon intensity of each of the buildings through a reduced reliance on grid purchased electricity.
