Irish Tech News
Summary
Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC) is creating the UK’s first community-owned, net-zero, domestic housing microgrid at a new development in Bristol.
The project will be part-funded by the public through a £2 million share-offer, which the not-for-profit organisation is currently running.
The new microgrid will combine energy efficiency with on-site renewables, heat pumps for heating and hot water, and battery storage; all linked together through smart technology.
The residents will get most of their energy from shared on-site solar generation, topping up from the grid when needed, and exporting any excess energy to it. No gas boilers will be required.
Work is already underway on the microgrid at the Water Lilies housing development in the Lawrence Weston area of Bristol, which developers, Bright Green Futures, will complete in 2021.
This first microgrid forms part of the ‘Microgrid Foundry’; a joint venture between Bristol Energy Cooperative, Chelwood Community Energy, and Clean Energy Prospector, which is aimed at developing a number of microgrid domestic housing sites across the South West.
Andy O’Brien, BEC co-founder/director said: “The technology for net-zero housing schemes is available now, but big housebuilders seem reluctant to adopt it.
This simply isn’t good enough in a climate emergency, so we decided to take the lead. In our opinion aiming for net-zero should be the norm for all new housing developments.”
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