An email from Katie Reville in April 2014: "At some point you have been in touch with PL:21 to express an interest in getting involved in community energy initiatives and the time has come for us to all get together to see where our skills and interests lie and to look at what we can actually do for the benefit of the Ivybridge community."

This was where SDCE began.

Katie has been instrumental to SDCE over the past years, and we were very sad to accept her resignation from the board at our AGM on the 9th Sep 2020. She has put in so many hours not just to SDCE but to other community initiatives in the area and now it's time for her to step back and take a breather.

Katie's passion for community action and commitment to tackling fuel poverty led to the setting up of our energy advice service which is now in its fifth year. When Katie was at the helm we helped over 400 people over the winter to keep their homes warm and reduce their energy bills. Community energy groups all across Devon will have benefited from her involvement in the sector in some way.

Katie's ability to push things forward and make a difference is incredible and we will certainly miss her on the Board, but we wish her all the best in her valuable role at the Energy Savings Trust and hope she enjoys a lot more free time with her family. 

Here are a few pics from the last few years!

PLEASE NOTE: The online consultation has now closed but you can still email us about this project.

We're really excited to launch the community consultation for our eco-affordable housing project on the outskirts of Ivybridge.
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The project has been a long time in the making, but we are now aiming to submit a planning application later this Autumn and would love to know your thoughts on the project.

We have a webinar coming up on the 4th August at 6.30pm, for which you will need to register. Full details of the project can be found on our community housing pages.

Or click here to go straight to the survey if you already know about the project.

Are you looking for a job where you can make a real difference to the community and the planet?
We have a very exciting opportunity for a highly motivated self-employed person to join our team, but the catch is that you must start as a volunteer and secure funding for your own post. The post is then open for you to develop as you wish in accordance with our Aims and at the approval of the Board of Directors, hours are negotiable.

We have several projects underway for which we’d expect some delivery support, these include communicating climate action to families and schools, developing a ground-breaking innovative passivhaus housing scheme, securing funding for fuel poverty projects, responding to relevant consultations and supporting several multi-million pound renewable energy projects in the early development stage.
We need someone who is…

• Self-employed, fully IT proficient, with own transport and already set up for remote working with computer, internet and phone.
• Committed to tackling climate change and agrees with our aims and objectives to improve housing conditions for people living in fuel poverty and not afraid of the drastic action required to reach net zero.
• A leader and a team player, you’ll be working closely with the board and other project workers. You’ll be expected to manage your own workload and lead on securing funding for your post – we will of course help as much as we can.
• Confident engaging with partner organisations on all levels; schools, businesses, community groups, councils, energy sector professionals etc.
• Experience in the energy sector, experience managing projects and budgets.
• Experience with securing funding.
• Knowledge of climate, energy and planning policy would be desirable.
• Understanding of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
• Honest, reliable, friendly and accountable.
• Ideally located in the South Hams.

South Dartmoor Community Energy is a non-profit community energy organisation, we’re run by a team of voluntary directors and our aims are to reduce fuel poverty and tackle the Climate Emergency through developing community-led renewable energy generation schemes that provide a direct benefit to the local community. We work in the South Hams in Devon, primarily around the Ivybridge area. We’re an active member of a network of community energy groups in Devon and work closely with local authorities.
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Please note: SDCE is not an employer, this is not a salaried post, you will be expected to volunteer until further funding is secured. SDCE is in a position to take huge steps forward and increase our capacity with the right person on the team. We have been working in this way for 4 years and always sustained between 3 and 7 part time project roles.

If you have any questions, please contact us.
To apply please email your CV and covering letter to sophie@sdce.org.uk before the 17th July 2020.

The closing date is 17th July 2020. Phone or zoom interviews will take place w/c 27th July or 3rd August, successful applicant will be notified by 14th August 2020, to start as soon as possible.

​You can download this as a pdf here.

Our energy advice team is still here to help you with any problems or questions you have with your energy bills:

• Help with high energy bills
• Can't pay energy bills
• What if I can't top up my meter?
• Switching to a cheaper company
• Getting support from your energy company
• Will I get disconnected?

The government has agreed a basic package of measures with all energy suppliers to protect their customers, found here.

You can find official guidance from Ofgem on these topics and more at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-and-your-energy-supply but we are here to help you if you want to speak to someone local.

We can help over the phone and by email, if you have a smart phone we may be able to have a video call - please bear with us this will be new ground for us too!

Please contact us today.

Our shiny new pilot project Net Zero Heroes kicked off today at Sparkwell School. 

Dr Juliette gave an assembly and ran some fun workshops for the children to encourage them and their families to take action on climate change. 

The assemblies will all be focused on “What is Climate Change?” and “What is global warming?” and then we’ll be getting the children motivated to become Net Zero Heroes - working together to contribute to stopping climate change. There will be props, demonstrations, dress up, role play, thought provoking actions, inspiring ideas, laughter, and a positive attitude to their individual actions contributing to the big goals.

Next week will be our first Community Roadshow where the general public can come along to find out more about reducing their carbon emissions and sign up to take the Net Zero Hero Challenge!

For more information on Net Zero Heroes please click here, we're going to be in Townstal, Modbury, Malborough, Buckfastleigh, Ugborough, Ivybridge, Kingsbridge, South Brent, Diptford, Cornwood, Loddiswell, Newton Ferrers, Yealmpton, Brixton, Wembury, and Holbeton.

In November SDCE became aware of a planning application for a gas peaking power station in Ivybridge. We do not believe this is an appropriate technology in a climate emergency and subsequently launched a petition, commented on the planning application and began further conversations regarding the proposal.

We have spoken to WPD and understand that this substation has been identified as one that is open for flexibility services. We have also been assured that while we do need increased grid back up in this area, it is no worse than the rest of the WPD area.
 
Alternatively we would like to see solar PV for clean local renewable energy generation, batteries for flexibility and grid balancing, and an electric vehicle fast charging hub with a small café and pedestrian access to the town centre to cater for the imminent flood of EVs.
 
This is our vision.
 
Over the next few months we will be working hard to try and make this vision a reality, it will not be easy or straightforward, and it may not work, but that is a risk we take with innovative projects and new ideas. We will need to secure funding to determine the feasibility both in energy terms and financially. We will need to engage key stakeholders and the local community. We will need to continue to campaign against the construction of a gas peaking power station.

We hope you can join us on this exciting journey!

If you'd like to sign the petition to object to the construction of a gas peaking power station please click here.

On the 23rd November we gathered in Filham Park in Ivybridge to plant 420 saplings from the Woodland Trust. 

We were led by the local ranger, Andrew Price, and planted the trees in two rows to create a new hedge beside the Manstow Football Club pitch. 

Over 20 people came, including lots of children. The rain even stopped for a while!

We'd like to thank Cate for having the idea in the first place and applying to the Woodland trust for the trees, and ITC for organising the planting day.

This is the official SDCE response to the Dartmoor National Park Local Plan consultation, which in its current draft form puts a ban on large scale renewable development in the Park. It is imperative that this does not happen, Dartmoor has an amazing wind resource and we must able to use this to meet the UK's net-zero target and the UK's Paris Agreement obligations. We also strongly believe that action should be taken for DNP to become a leader in restoring and protective biodiversity. You are welcome to use this to inform your own response.

1. SDCE commentary on the Final Draft Local Plan

1. It would be possible in the customary way to respond to the detail of the plan paragraph by paragraph and policy by policy.  However this would be unnecessarily repetitive and somewhat pointless as SDCE’s criticism of the plan is at a very high level and questions the fundamental principles that underpin the purpose of the plan.
2. SDCE’s approach therefore will be to set out a vision of an alternative set of development priorities that we consider to be fully aligned with addressing the global challenges we can no longer ignore, challenges that are impacting us now and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
3. The preamble entitled ‘Strategy’ effectively sets the scene for the plan with:

‘Protecting the National Park’s special qualities’
and
‘Major development will not take place in the National Park other than in exceptional circumstances.’ 

1. It is not evident that there has been any significant changes introduced between the 2006 – 2026 DNP Local Plan and the Final Draft of the proposed 2018 – 2036 Local Plan.  There is certainly no acknowledgement of either an impending Climate Emergency or Extinction Crisis in the latest draft plan.
2. The DNP Authority (DNPA) itself declared a Climate Emergency on 26 July 2019[1] and signed the Devon Climate Declaration[2] on the same day but this has not lead to any amendments to the draft plan.
3. In summary this draft plan is very much a proposal for ‘business as usual’.  It is designed to preserve the status quo.
4. However it is a plan that will provide the framework for development in the DNP for the next 18 years.  It is widely acknowledged that a continuation of business as usual for even a few years would make The Paris Agreement of limiting global heating this century to 2°C, let alone 1.5°C, almost impossible to achieve.
5. With this in mind, and after careful examination of the plan, it would be hard for anyone to conclude that a business as usual approach is fit for purpose in the current climate.

Read more here......

 The SDCE board has decided that the time has come to provide some office space for the self-employed project workers. We also have to keep a big stock of energy efficiency measures and need somewhere to store them.

The Clay Factory near Ivybridge is the perfect place, it has great public transport links, is within easy cycling distance of Ivybridge and has a good car park for those travelling from the South Hams where buses only visit once a week. Not to mention the spectacular views across the South Hams down to the Erme estuary. 

There are also two excellent local plant-based food companies on site!

Why not check out the Clay Factory for your office, meeting, party or just pop up for a delicious climate-friendly lunch.