Energy, Energy Efficiency & Electric Vehicles
There is potential for delivering many benefits regarding how we use energy, the types of technology and controls that we adopt, the sources of the energy we use, and the extent to which we ‘flex’ the timing of our use of energy, local generation and, in the future, energy storage.
The benefits include:
- Smarter use of energy resulting in better value for money
- Greater take-up of sustainable energy and electric vehicles with all their advantages
- Greener transport and home heating to support cleaner air and reduce global warming
- The opportunity for community investment in local clean energy sources
who are helping to ensure these principles apply to Thame’s greatest natural water assets, The River Thame, the Cuttle Brook and Kingsey Cuttle Brook.
Key Issues
- Energy awareness – Improved understanding of energy uses and options
- Energy efficiency and sustainability – Exploring and implementing better energy choices
- Clean transport – Promoting steps to encourage electric vehicle use
- Low carbon energy sources – Practical guidance on clean energy for homes and businesses
4.1 Energy Awareness
In Progress
Action: Have a presence at town events such as the summer carnival and the Christmas lights.
In Progress
Action: Provide printed and online materials that prompt ideas for individual actions.
In Progress
Action: Encourage discussion and follow-up via TGL Facebook page and website.
Completed
Action: Organise an EV awareness event in Thame and publicise EV test drive opportunities. (see 4.4.)
In Progress
Make Thame energy initiatives visible, for example EV chargers signposted and with TTC & TGL ‘branding’.
Completed
Establish a community energy company for Thame (by linking with established regional models or otherwise).
In Progress
Action: Publish and circulate the draft energy strategy for information and comment, available on TGL website.
Completed
Action: Identify sources of expertise and possible future energy project partners.
In Progress
Action: build on consultation feedback consistent with TTC and GLP strategy and lessons from practical projects.
4.2 Energy efficiency and sustainability – Individual Actions
In Progress
Action: Provide pamphlets and website information, including FB posts and promotion at events.
In Progress
Action: Encourage use of Smart Meters to take advantage of new services and deals.
In Progress
Action: Seek a link with Citizens Advice to assist their work in this area.
In Progress
Action: Flag up government grants and programmes for individual homes (as part of the government Net Zero programme).
Completed
Action: Identify Retrofit work programmes elsewhere that might be suitable for Thame. e.g. Better Homes Better Health and Cosy Homes.
4.3 Energy efficiency and sustainability – Community & infrastructure Actions
Completed
Link with TTC Business Forum to raise awareness of free energy audits and grants for making energy improvements. e.g. at a Business Breakfast event.
In Progress
Action: Identify opportunities for free energy surveys and grants available to TTC. e.g. SALIX.
Not Started
Action: Look at best practices elsewhere (e.g. LEDs for street lighting, security lighting, and restricted hours for street lighting).
Not Started
Action: Encourage developers to build-in PV on suitable roofs, provide EV charging, and consider solar roofs for walkways and awnings.
Not Started
Action: Support wider national moves to improve building standards.
Not Started
Action: Encourage local contractors to support a ‘connected homes’ initiative through training and business partnering.
In Progress
Action: Input to the revised Neighbourhood Plan to shape policy positions.
4.4 Clean Personal Transport
Completed
Organise an EV awareness day and test drives for personal transport (e.g. MK’s EV Experience Centre and local EV drivers and car clubs) .
In Progress
Track developments in cleaner commercial transport (e.g. Battery and Hydrogen vehicles) and alert local businesses.
4.5 Clean transport in the community
Completed
Action: Find out more about EV car-pooling including local examples e.g. Co-wheels in Oxford, Zipcar, Enterprise car club, and Tuo (peer to peer).
Completed
Action: Work through TTC Business Forum to present information and impartial advice.
Completed
Action: Work with TTC Business Forum to present information and impartial advice.
Completed
Action: Set up a business breakfast meeting to introduce key concepts / link with specialists.
In Progress
Action: Provide information on TGL website and FB.
Not Started
Action: Provide a simple check list of starting points for organisations to consider.
Not Started
Action: Link interested parties who are willing to share experience.
Not Started
Action: Consider these requirements for TTC-initiated charging points.
Not Started
Action: Consider adding these requirements to NP2 policy for car parks, homes and businesses.
Completed
Action: Recommend business conversion to EV Fleets or workplace charging for staff and visitors.
4.6 Low Carbon Energy Sources
Not Started
Action: Link up with the owners of the local PV arrays near Towersey and Ilmer villages.
Not Started
Action: Explore guided visits and real time information (e.g. with schools and others).
Not Started
Action: Track developments and experience in heat pumps and other alternatives as low carbon alternatives to gas and oil for heating.
In Progress
Action: Review government grants and installation trials and programmes and whether Thame might benefit from participating.
Not Started
Action: Monitor costs of home solar PV and, when viable, hold a PV awareness event and link with providers and installers.
Completed
Action: Monitor ‘whole street’ PV discounts (incl. experience elsewhere (e.g. Green Group’s Solar Streets).
In Progress
Action: Seek co-operation to produce ‘case studies’ of local domestic installations for practicalities and economics.
In Progress
Action: Track economics of larger solar PV installations; where viable, hold a PV awareness event with links to providers and installers.
Not Started
Action: Explore opportunities for solar roofs, for example car parks or shopping walkways.
Not Started
Action: Seek Neighbourhood Plan support for siting of new installations – including large solar roofs and community funded installations.
In Progress
Action: Check options for new commercial scale renewable energy: generation (solar or wind), energy storage, and ability to offer flexibility. Include opportunities for new building developments that could include large solar roofs, perhaps community funded installations.
In Progress
Action: Work with an established organisation, such as the Low Carbon Hub in Oxford or the Community Energy Society being established in Henley, to gain access to professional expertise (technical, financial, and legal).
4.7 Ideas for the future
High Street Power Supplies
Not Started
Action: Consider if power supplies can be made available in the High Street, perhaps linked to EV chargers, that could replace polluting diesel generators at Thame Fairs.
Not Started
Action: Consult via TTC with fairground operators as to viability and cost.
Trading local energy
In Progress
Action: Look into trading energy locally, both within Thame and with national markets, to provide a financial return. This might include energy from solar panels, or energy in EVs or home batteries. This could form part of a ‘community energy’ initiative, a number of which are under way nationally.