SEVERAL years ago a community energy fund was built up from referral fees paid by Ecotricity to Bovey Climate Action (BCA).

The fund came from a £15 fee for each customer who switched their electricity supply to the business, Britain’s first green energy company, as part of BCA’s The BIG Switch project.  

The first grant from the fund gave £200 to the Bovey Tracey Swimming Pool Association in 2009 to help with the incorporation of solar hot water panels to pre-heat the swimming pool water. 

Bovey Climate Action has since been succeeded by Climate Emergency Bovey and Heathfield (CEBH) and last week, the final £500 from the fund was presented to Bovey Tracey Town Council.

This was in recognition of the town council’s commissioning of a 34-panel solar photovoltaic system on the roof of the Riverside Community Centre – the town council offices in Station Road.

The money is the residue of a community energy fund set up by BCA to help local organisations install energy saving schemes in community buildings. 

The Riverside system’s 13.6 kilowatt peak capacity – the maximum electrical power that can be supplied by the system at any time under standard temperature and sunlight conditions – is expected to generate 14,750 kilowatt hours a year and save the council about £9,000 per year. 

The system cost £24,950 to install and was paid for by a successful council grant application to the National Lottery. 

CEBH regularly hosts free events, the next one being a talk on Wednesday, March 1 in the Riverside Community Centre to be given by David Ramsden MBE about the climate and ecological crisis.

David said: ‘Since 2017 I’ve become increasingly concerned about our global situation – the loss of species and what scientists are saying about climate change – so I’ve been finding out what impact this might have at home and what we can do about it.

‘Melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, deforestation, wild fires, droughts, polluting cars and greenhouse gases.

‘What does it all mean for planet Earth and what can we do to help make a better world for our children and grandchildren?

‘This talk is an easy-to-follow look at the whole subject and possible solutions.

‘It’s aimed primarily at people who want to know more about climate change or the ecological crisis, or people who have not previously engaged with the subject.’

Tom added: ‘The doors doors open at 6.30pm and “early bird” tickets are currrently available for members of CEBH to book and then will be available to everyone at Bovey Larder in Fore Street from February 8.

‘The tickets are free, but it is necessary to book as there is limited space in the hall.’