I want to talk about celebration I want to celebrate with you the power of
to celebrate with you the power of
to celebrate with you the power of collective grassroots action to drive
collective grassroots action to drive
collective grassroots action to drive change and things that we as local
change and things that we as local
change and things that we as local people from Plymouth believe in and want
people from Plymouth believe in and want
people from Plymouth believe in and want to see change in when I came to Plymouth
to see change in when I came to Plymouth
to see change in when I came to Plymouth my landlady of the time repeatedly
my landlady of the time repeatedly
my landlady of the time repeatedly asserted that Plymouth was the graveyard
asserted that Plymouth was the graveyard
asserted that Plymouth was the graveyard of all ambition a great place for
of all ambition a great place for
of all ambition a great place for surfing great place for lifestyle but
surfing great place for lifestyle but
surfing great place for lifestyle but not a great place if you want to drive
not a great place if you want to drive
not a great place if you want to drive change stop with me because I’m a Nature
change stop with me because I’m a Nature
change stop with me because I’m a Nature Boy I’m an environmentalist I want to
Boy I’m an environmentalist I want to
Boy I’m an environmentalist I want to and what makes me tick is driving change
and what makes me tick is driving change
and what makes me tick is driving change not in any specific area but generally
not in any specific area but generally
not in any specific area but generally the environment that’s a big piece but I
the environment that’s a big piece but I
the environment that’s a big piece but I wanted to see something about and so
wanted to see something about and so
wanted to see something about and so this that statement sticks with me and I
this that statement sticks with me and I
this that statement sticks with me and I want to provide to you some evidence of
want to provide to you some evidence of
want to provide to you some evidence of why it’s fundamentally wrong in 2013 100
why it’s fundamentally wrong in 2013 100
why it’s fundamentally wrong in 2013 100 people came together with a shared sense
people came together with a shared sense
people came together with a shared sense of ideal and a shared sense of mission
of ideal and a shared sense of mission
of ideal and a shared sense of mission as to what they wanted to change they
as to what they wanted to change they
as to what they wanted to change they wanted to fuel a local energy revolution
wanted to fuel a local energy revolution
wanted to fuel a local energy revolution they came together with a shared sense
they came together with a shared sense
they came together with a shared sense what they were collective group any
what they were collective group any
what they were collective group any collective group and they shared three
collective group and they shared three
collective group and they shared three things they all wanted to fundamentally
things they all wanted to fundamentally
things they all wanted to fundamentally shift issues around affordable warmth
shift issues around affordable warmth
shift issues around affordable warmth they wanted to challenge that they
they wanted to challenge that they
they wanted to challenge that they wanted to change the fact that regularly
wanted to change the fact that regularly
wanted to change the fact that regularly people in Plymouth were having to choose
people in Plymouth were having to choose
people in Plymouth were having to choose between eating and eating I wanted to
between eating and eating I wanted to
between eating and eating I wanted to take better advantage of the solar the
take better advantage of the solar the
take better advantage of the solar the Pens blount bountiful solar energy that
Pens blount bountiful solar energy that
Pens blount bountiful solar energy that falls are out beautiful sunny city and
falls are out beautiful sunny city and
falls are out beautiful sunny city and capture that into clean green renewable
capture that into clean green renewable
capture that into clean green renewable energy and they wanted to challenge the
energy and they wanted to challenge the
energy and they wanted to challenge the incumbent corporates there come we
incumbent corporates there come we
incumbent corporates there come we supply in a very poor inexpensive way
supply in a very poor inexpensive way
supply in a very poor inexpensive way our basic needs of heat and power now
our basic needs of heat and power now
our basic needs of heat and power now the issues associated with the
the issues associated with the
the issues associated with the frustrations with the
frustrations with the
frustrations with the six something well articulated many of
six something well articulated many of
six something well articulated many of you will share them with me the issues
you will share them with me the issues
you will share them with me the issues around our need to wean ourselves off
around our need to wean ourselves off
around our need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels are also well articulated
fossil fuels are also well articulated
fossil fuels are also well articulated and that move towards a renewable
and that move towards a renewable
and that move towards a renewable low-carbon future needs no further
low-carbon future needs no further
low-carbon future needs no further articulation here but the issues around
articulation here but the issues around
articulation here but the issues around fuel poverty are more poorly understood
fuel poverty are more poorly understood
fuel poverty are more poorly understood more deeply hidden but the fact is that
more deeply hidden but the fact is that
more deeply hidden but the fact is that in 1415 the winter that year 44,000
in 1415 the winter that year 44,000
in 1415 the winter that year 44,000 people died in the UK from what recorded
people died in the UK from what recorded
people died in the UK from what recorded preventable excess winter death thirty
preventable excess winter death thirty
preventable excess winter death thirty percent of those died because they were
percent of those died because they were
percent of those died because they were in a home that was too cold just here in
in a home that was too cold just here in
in a home that was too cold just here in Plymouth just within our city fifteen
Plymouth just within our city fifteen
Plymouth just within our city fifteen thousand households live in that
thousand households live in that
thousand households live in that situation of fuel poverty they are
situation of fuel poverty they are
situation of fuel poverty they are regularly having to make those choices
regularly having to make those choices
regularly having to make those choices those very difficult choices between
those very difficult choices between
those very difficult choices between heating and eating that means and in
heating and eating that means and in
heating and eating that means and in certain wards that gets up to twenty
certain wards that gets up to twenty
certain wards that gets up to twenty eight percent some averages 13 / 7
eight percent some averages 13 / 7
eight percent some averages 13 / 7 certain words of the city that’s
certain words of the city that’s
certain words of the city that’s twenty-eight percent to one in three
twenty-eight percent to one in three
twenty-eight percent to one in three four households when you’re walking down
four households when you’re walking down
four households when you’re walking down certain streets are making those choices
so those hundred people came together in
so those hundred people came together in April of 2013 and defined what they felt
April of 2013 and defined what they felt
April of 2013 and defined what they felt to be a different future they defined a
to be a different future they defined a
to be a different future they defined a future that was divided around
future that was divided around
future that was divided around cooperation they define it an
cooperation they define it an
cooperation they define it an organization called Plymouth energy
organization called Plymouth energy
organization called Plymouth energy community cooperative at its heart the
community cooperative at its heart the
community cooperative at its heart the structure where every member has a vote
structure where every member has a vote
structure where every member has a vote in how that organization goes forward
in how that organization goes forward
in how that organization goes forward every member gets to vote as to the
every member gets to vote as to the
every member gets to vote as to the board directors who will control the
board directors who will control the
board directors who will control the direction of that business they had a
direction of that business they had a
direction of that business they had a simple mission which was to take
simple mission which was to take
simple mission which was to take revenues from so locally owned solar
revenues from so locally owned solar
revenues from so locally owned solar power solar power stations solar power
power solar power stations solar power
power solar power stations solar power solutions and drive those revenues to
solutions and drive those revenues to
solutions and drive those revenues to support a fuel poor in the city they
support a fuel poor in the city they
support a fuel poor in the city they believed the ownership was important
believed the ownership was important
believed the ownership was important that if we were going to make a driver
that if we were going to make a driver
that if we were going to make a driver change in these difficult areas we
change in these difficult areas we
change in these difficult areas we needed a different paradigm a different
needed a different paradigm a different
needed a different paradigm a different model
model
model and we know that people care about the
and we know that people care about the
and we know that people care about the things they own so let’s give them the
things they own so let’s give them the
things they own so let’s give them the power to own their energy infrastructure
power to own their energy infrastructure
power to own their energy infrastructure and take choices about that and take
and take choices about that and take
and take choices about that and take choices about how we generate our energy
choices about how we generate our energy
choices about how we generate our energy now we use it from that Plymouth energy
now we use it from that Plymouth energy
now we use it from that Plymouth energy community was born those simple ideals
community was born those simple ideals
community was born those simple ideals that simple collective action that
that simple collective action that
that simple collective action that simple expression of those as it worked
well thus answer that question in a
well thus answer that question in a different way where we naive absolutely
different way where we naive absolutely
different way where we naive absolutely were we nearly naive have we got it all
were we nearly naive have we got it all
were we nearly naive have we got it all right no we’ve got lots of things wrong
right no we’ve got lots of things wrong
right no we’ve got lots of things wrong but is it working absolutely is working
but is it working absolutely is working
but is it working absolutely is working just last year 2016 the ideals of those
just last year 2016 the ideals of those
just last year 2016 the ideals of those first hundred people landed with 3,500
first hundred people landed with 3,500
first hundred people landed with 3,500 households in this city receiving advice
households in this city receiving advice
households in this city receiving advice which will save them four million pounds
which will save them four million pounds
which will save them four million pounds cuz the lifetimes of the safe to that
cuz the lifetimes of the safe to that
cuz the lifetimes of the safe to that advice and the measures of energy
advice and the measures of energy
advice and the measures of energy efficiency and renewables at that lands
efficiency and renewables at that lands
efficiency and renewables at that lands as four million pounds staying here with
as four million pounds staying here with
as four million pounds staying here with in Plymouth as a result of the ambition
in Plymouth as a result of the ambition
in Plymouth as a result of the ambition of those 100 people it resulted in
of those 100 people it resulted in
of those 100 people it resulted in 70,000 pounds if small-scale fuel debt
70,000 pounds if small-scale fuel debt
70,000 pounds if small-scale fuel debt from you know fuel poor households
from you know fuel poor households
from you know fuel poor households across the city being written off
across the city being written off
across the city being written off through a relationship the Plymouth
through a relationship the Plymouth
through a relationship the Plymouth energy community has established with a
energy community has established with a
energy community has established with a charitable trust as 200 45,000 pounds of
charitable trust as 200 45,000 pounds of
charitable trust as 200 45,000 pounds of fuel debt being written off between 300
fuel debt being written off between 300
fuel debt being written off between 300 pounds and 9,000 pounds worth of debt is
pounds and 9,000 pounds worth of debt is
pounds and 9,000 pounds worth of debt is alleviating that burden from how there
alleviating that burden from how there
alleviating that burden from how there are some of most vulnerable households
are some of most vulnerable households
are some of most vulnerable households in the city it resulted in the
in the city it resulted in the
in the city it resulted in the equivalent of eight football pitches
equivalent of eight football pitches
equivalent of eight football pitches worth of solar panels being placed on 32
worth of solar panels being placed on 32
worth of solar panels being placed on 32 school roofs across the city from our
school roofs across the city from our
school roofs across the city from our smallest one here at Shekinah mission in
smallest one here at Shekinah mission in
smallest one here at Shekinah mission in bass tree was just ten panels to our
bass tree was just ten panels to our
bass tree was just ten panels to our largest one here Ernest Ethel sixteen
largest one here Ernest Ethel sixteen
largest one here Ernest Ethel sixteen thousand solar panels all coming from
thousand solar panels all coming from
thousand solar panels all coming from those hundred people’s initial vision
those hundred people’s initial vision
those hundred people’s initial vision and mission
and mission
and mission that generates 47 thousand megawatts out
that generates 47 thousand megawatts out
that generates 47 thousand megawatts out of hours of clean green electricity last
of hours of clean green electricity last
of hours of clean green electricity last year that’s enough electricity coming
year that’s enough electricity coming
year that’s enough electricity coming from locally owned energy infrastructure
from locally owned energy infrastructure
from locally owned energy infrastructure to make 43,000 cups of tea something we
to make 43,000 cups of tea something we
to make 43,000 cups of tea something we are very proud of so how have we done
are very proud of so how have we done
are very proud of so how have we done that well we’re a corporate eight
that well we’re a corporate eight
that well we’re a corporate eight cooperative and we’re a community
cooperative and we’re a community
cooperative and we’re a community benefit society so we’ve done it by
benefit society so we’ve done it by
benefit society so we’ve done it by collaboration by working and building
collaboration by working and building
collaboration by working and building partnerships with those that share our
partnerships with those that share our
partnerships with those that share our values we’ve grown our membership from
values we’ve grown our membership from
values we’ve grown our membership from those hundred whose original 100 is now
those hundred whose original 100 is now
those hundred whose original 100 is now 1500 we have grown a staff team of
1500 we have grown a staff team of
1500 we have grown a staff team of brilliant staff team from one and a half
brilliant staff team from one and a half
brilliant staff team from one and a half people half a person to 10 people we
people half a person to 10 people we
people half a person to 10 people we built a strong partnership with the
built a strong partnership with the
built a strong partnership with the local authority and 45 other
local authority and 45 other
local authority and 45 other organizations around the Devon and
organizations around the Devon and
organizations around the Devon and Cornwall area who share our mission and
Cornwall area who share our mission and
Cornwall area who share our mission and share our values a desire to support
share our values a desire to support
share our values a desire to support those vulnerable households with energy
those vulnerable households with energy
those vulnerable households with energy issues we’ve partnered with the devil so
issues we’ve partnered with the devil so
issues we’ve partnered with the devil so through a partnership with British Gas
through a partnership with British Gas
through a partnership with British Gas we landed 3.2 million pounds worth of
we landed 3.2 million pounds worth of
we landed 3.2 million pounds worth of grant that came into the city that
grant that came into the city that
grant that came into the city that wouldn’t come here otherwise and that’s
wouldn’t come here otherwise and that’s
wouldn’t come here otherwise and that’s resulted in seven hundred houses getting
resulted in seven hundred houses getting
resulted in seven hundred houses getting external wall insulation at big cozy
external wall insulation at big cozy
external wall insulation at big cozy blanket around their houses which means
blanket around their houses which means
blanket around their houses which means that Theresa here and her daughter no
that Theresa here and her daughter no
that Theresa here and her daughter no longer will now save about in the order
longer will now save about in the order
longer will now save about in the order of 400 pounds per year of their energy
of 400 pounds per year of their energy
of 400 pounds per year of their energy bill but more importantly to resist
bill but more importantly to resist
bill but more importantly to resist daughter no longer stuffers with the
daughter no longer stuffers with the
daughter no longer stuffers with the colds and flus and the circulatory
colds and flus and the circulatory
colds and flus and the circulatory issues that she did year-on-year in her
issues that she did year-on-year in her
issues that she did year-on-year in her words our innovations were life-saving
and we’ve built and articulate a
and we’ve built and articulate a proposition that has been invested all
500 of our members have invested between
500 of our members have invested between 50 pounds and a hundred thousand pounds
50 pounds and a hundred thousand pounds
50 pounds and a hundred thousand pounds in our solar installations we’ve sold
in our solar installations we’ve sold
in our solar installations we’ve sold them community shares to the value of
them community shares to the value of
them community shares to the value of 2.4 million pounds and we’ve used that
2.4 million pounds and we’ve used that
2.4 million pounds and we’ve used that community
community
community capital to leverage in over four million
capital to leverage in over four million
capital to leverage in over four million pounds of social investment back into
pounds of social investment back into
pounds of social investment back into the city to help us own are locally
the city to help us own are locally
the city to help us own are locally owned energy infrastructure we’ve
owned energy infrastructure we’ve
owned energy infrastructure we’ve offered them on six percent return on
offered them on six percent return on
offered them on six percent return on their investment a very fair return in
their investment a very fair return in
their investment a very fair return in our view and for that they get obviously
our view and for that they get obviously
our view and for that they get obviously their interest payments but they get to
their interest payments but they get to
their interest payments but they get to share in our mission they get a vote in
share in our mission they get a vote in
share in our mission they get a vote in the direction of our business in the
the direction of our business in the
the direction of our business in the future and they get to share in the
future and they get to share in the
future and they get to share in the outcomes they’ve invested in us because
outcomes they’ve invested in us because
outcomes they’ve invested in us because we are about community benefit we are
we are about community benefit we are
we are about community benefit we are putting people before profit so your job
putting people before profit so your job
putting people before profit so your job is if you hear statements like Plymouth
is if you hear statements like Plymouth
is if you hear statements like Plymouth is the graveyard of ambition or anything
is the graveyard of ambition or anything
is the graveyard of ambition or anything else of that inclination is to go away
else of that inclination is to go away
else of that inclination is to go away from tonight and recount the stories of
from tonight and recount the stories of
from tonight and recount the stories of all the people in the front row and of
all the people in the front row and of
all the people in the front row and of Plymouth energy community and the local
Plymouth energy community and the local
Plymouth energy community and the local ever revolution that we are feuding
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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