Halesworth’s energy future? 

 

“There’s a lot of passion in Halesworth for creating a greener future and I look forward to supporting the community to achieve this.” Adrian Ramsay, MP

 

 

 

 

Halesworth ASH’s September public event was about ENERGY: home, community, industry, business, transport and indeed it was high powered.

This year’s Friday panel had wide-ranging expertise, and all were  invited to inspire us to imagine our energy future:
– Adrian Ramsay MP, reminded us of what the UK had achieved so far, as well as the action we need nationally and locally to tackle the climate emergency, make us more resilient and lower bills. 
– Professor Peter Hobson warned us that by 2050 East Anglia will be unlikely to support cereal crops because of our climate changing, necessitating the importance for regenerative agriculture. 
– Could Halesworth develop a Community Energy project like Suffolk villages Charlsfield and Framsden? John Collins and Claire Macaulay described the hoops to jump through and stages of setting up these community projects.
– John Taylor, from Community Energy UK, gave us an overview on the basis of his  20+ years working in renewable energy. The importance of community ownership (connection, independence, resiliance, and economic benefit) and growth of it around the UK.

Saturday was practical for a good reason: Halesworth now has its BASELINE STUDY to work from – to see where we can efficiently support our community to to migrate to renewable energy systems. Researched and presented by Opergy, a climate consultant commissioned by the Town Council, this information means we can can plan our pathway towards net zero.
For example, out of approximately 2,700 homes in Halesworth, we know that 53% have EPC ratings of D or below. Of non-domestic buildings, 59% are D or below. These figures help us know where to concentrate our efforts. 
“In order to fly a kite you need to be grounded” Thanks to Sam and Jonthath from Opergy 
for grounding us so thoroughly with this Baseline. 

There are many grants and systems to help people make positive changes. However they can be difficult to find and understand how to process. This is why Halesworth ASH has appointed a new part-time ENERGY CHAMPION to help and advise our community: owner-occupied houses, rented homes, businesses, community enterprises, and industry can all benefit from the various schemes.

Now our work is clear: with Halesworth Town Council and Blyth Valley Churches, Halesworth ASH will support the Energy Champion, to advise the Halesworth Community, to reduce our carbon output in our homes, our businesses, transport and land.

…

Details of the panel talks and workshops are below. 

Our thanks to Halesworth Town Council, Suffolk Climate Change Partnership, and East Suffolk Enabling Communities – we couldn’t have organised this event without them. 

Schools

Pauline Milsted took the climate story to local schools:
– What is energy?Renewable/non-renewable energy
– Water energy experiment
– The wind power challenge
– Solar panel pizza box oven experiment
– Potato clock experiment

She ventured to Bramfield Pre-School, Bramfield House School, Holton St Peter, Wenhaston, and she plans to continue this outreach. 

Caroline Chapman, meanwhile, gave a Climate Ready Assembly at Wenhaston School. 

Katie Graham accompanied by John Paul Stonard

Katie Graham opened the weekend (and our hearts) with her adaptation of Blowing in the Wind, accompanied by John Paul Stonard on guitar. Here on Instagram

How many oil spills must pollute our seas,
Before we can call it a day?
And how many families must turn off the heat
because they have bills they can’t pay?

The answer, my friend, is in the sun, the wave, the wind
The answer’s in the sun, the wave, the wind.

And how many billions must go to the few,
These people who got us in this mess?
And how many times must we say it is again,
that wind power costs five times less.

The answer, my friend, is in the sun, the wave, the wind
The answer’s in the sun, the wave, the wind.

And how many times must we hear all these lies
from profiteering corporate cabals?
How much more damage must we all sustain
before everybody rebels?

The answer, my friend, is in the sun, the wave, the wind
The answer’s in the sun, the wave, the wind.

Welcome by Team Rector, Reverend Dominic Doble

Dominic welcomed us to St Mary’s Church. 

Adrian Ramsay MP

Adrian opened with a clear message: we’ve achieved much, but need to do more for a resilient energy system. This is what we’ve achieved: 

– Enormous growth in off-shore wind

– July 2025, the government passed a law that all new builds by 2027 have heat pumps and solar inbuilt.

– public funding to upgrade the housing stock we have with policies such as warm homes. 

We need: 
– to be wary of new technological solutions such as carbon capture, which is unlikely to work

– to decouple electricity and gas prices in order to counter opposition to green policies

The future lies in community, bottom up, with community involved in decision making and enterprise.

Climate action initiatives, like the national Climate Ambassadors scheme, which supports schools and colleges in developing climate action plans and  Sustainability Champions network.

Adrian commended events such as this, which actively engages with the community and the decisions facing them. 

Professor Peter Hobson

Peter outlined the relationship between the structure and function of ecosystems (forests, agricultural land, soils, grasslands), and natural energy (sunlight). 

With his customary perspective, Peter invited us to see how our planet functions on energetic systems. How much of the world’s resources are we appropriating? Roughly 24-25% and mostly for food. We have changed the albedo effect, (how our earth’s surface reflects solar radiation back to space or absorbs it) and therefore the vital role of plants, our capital assets, in regulating this. In the UK we have a paltry 11% of forest cover and diminishing biodiversity. 

His recommendations:

  • Ecosystem economics are more effective.
  • Regenerative agriculture is essential. 

 

John Collins

John Collins came today because back in 2022, he heard a talk given by John Taylor! Now he heads up the Charsfield Community Energy project. Stage 1 funding aims to provide access to £40,000 for a feasibility study to assess the viability of setting up this  renewable energy project. 

The community were asked for land, estimating a need of 2 hectares. They were offered 108 hectares. 

Claire MacCauley, from Framsden Community Energy, spoke briefly about how Framsden is also applying to create a community energy project. 

 

John Taylor

From Community Energy UK, John Taylor gave an overview of UK progress over the last 20 years:  then a solar panel cost £60,000 which today is £3,000 and 10 times more effective.

However this is a messy transition phase. We are doing well with development of the energy generation but we have to catch up with usage. For that we need to plug into the electric, change our oil and gas systems, as well as insulate our homes. 

We need to question if we will follow the same inequalities as the oil and gas industry or build up a more socially just system, turning sunlight into social good. 

He ended with the bean bag story:

In a bean bag race at a school sports day, people wondered if most efficient and wining strategy was to collect up the nearest or the furthest away bean bag first. John says what you really need is everyone in the crowd to pick one up!

 

Questions

QUESTION 1

Do you care about the source of the energy you use? Would you prefer energy from
( a ) Any source that supplies your needs – UK gas or coal or electric, French nuclear, Russian or Middle Eastern oil. All with a risk of price increase with the geopolitics of Iraq, Ukraine or Trump.
(b)  Energy which is cheaper when the wind blows or sun shines, that you adjust your behaviour to use in times of abundance, that you can see where it comes from, the field near by, that has a price which is potentially more secure, independent of geo-politics.

QUESTION 2
Solar on farmland: How can governments, who work within the inherited free-market system which allows a free-for-all for developers and farmers to set up solar enterprises on farm land, how can government have a
(a) a joined up solar strategy and
(b) involve the community in the decision making process. 

For example could they
– Mandate communities to instigate share ownership through town councils?
Give communities a say in the design, and location of solar farms?

Or QUESTION 2
Why can’t solar be put on all industrial units, car parks rather than on farmland which we need for food?

QUESTION 3
How could my village work together to improve our energy security and reduce the cost of energy? We are very rural and mostly on oil, not gas… and with only 220 houses spread out over a wide area. Is a community energy scheme really viable?

QUESTION 4

I saw on a reform leaflet recently, quote:
“Scrap Net Zero to cut your energy bills. Britain’s got the highest electricity prices in the world because of Net Zero.”
Is this true, and if not/& why does the UK have such high electricity prices?

 

 
 

Saturday workshops introduced by Joyce Moseley

Joyce Moseley, Halesworth Town Council, opened our Saturday workshops reminding us of our committement to our 4 year plan, in our ‘little market town’. This event and this baseline report, she said, offers us a mix of information and hope. 

A carbon baseline for Halesworth: Opergy

Sam Read and Jonathan Reynolds, from Opergy responded to Joyce’s despairing quote from Tump: Drill Baby Drill by responding Shine Baby Shine. 

“Community initiative is needed now more than ever” said Jonathan adding “Many wish there were more parishes like Halesworth organising events such as this and supporting it’s community to migrate to Net Zero.” 

A link to Opergy’s Halesworth Baseline  summary report is here. 

Leiston was the first town where Opergy undertook a successful baseline report, and is still a good model.  

Some highlights from the Halesworth report: 

  • Transport is the one area which has increased in carbon emissions since Covid. Only 2% of Halesworth cars are electric. 

  • Out of approximately 2,700 homes in Halesworth, we know that 53% have EPC ratings of D or below. Of non-domestic buildings, 59% are D or below. These figures help us know where to concentrate our efforts. 

  • Green space/trees in Halesworth is above the national average of 111% with tree cover of 18% . 

This forms a basis from which to find a pathway forward. It also forms a base from which to measure development. 

 

Saturday Workshops 

a. How can I play my part?

Halesworth Town Council/Halesworth ASH/ Deben Climate Centre /Opergy
What is the responsibility of the town council in supporting the people and businesses of Halesworth to Net Zero? What has Deben done? 
Eamonn O’Nolan described some of the steps the Deben Climate Centre has taken:

  • Testing water of the river Deben for E.coli, using citizen science, with 40 people testing at 60 locations.
  • Funding from East Suffolk Council which led to focusing on giving environmental advice. About 60% of funding goes to this which effectively gets you out into the community.
  • They have set up Community Benefit Society.
  • Next step is setting up a community solar park project.

Opergy are also developing  Energy pathways in Leiston, and are about to launch electric bikes.
In Halesworth, the Millenium Green in provides opportunities for bio-diversity. 
Beccles  is interested in emulating Halesworth.
Conga are keen to train people who can be trusted to go into people’s houses and give balanced, informed, neutral advice.

b. How can I change my house?

Led by Halesworth Energy Champion, William Poulsen, 
Halesworth residents were invited to describe how they could change their homes with and without grants, to insulate, power and pay less bills. 

Peter Aiano – My carbon footprint with pleasure not pain

People in the UK produce approx 10 tonne of carbon into the atmosphere each year. If we are to reach net zero by 2050 it needs to be closer to 2 tonnes. Peter and Sarah used a simple program to calculate people’s current carbon footprint and suggest ways that could be reduced. Examples suggested were: switch to a green supplier of electricity, insulate your homes, downsize, contact HASH energy champion, do more car free journeys and eat less meat. 

c. Community Energy

John Taylor (Community Energy UK) 

d. East Suffolk supporting climate change

Tom Daly, Cabinet Member for Energy, East Suffolk District Council. 

e. Solar by Greenspace

Liam report 

f. Heat Pumps by Peter at Conga

Peter report

Energy Champions

Introdcing William Poulsen – Halesworth’s Energy Champion –  to help our community to navigate the maze of funding options and migrate away from carbon systems. 

Laura, who is an existing Energy Champion from Norwich, came to see what we were up to and give her experience of being a city energy champion. 

Next Steps

 

  • Community News full page spread inviting residents to apply for funding opportunities
  • Landlord workshop – to run a workshop specifically for Landlords to point towards funding/grant opportunities. 
  • Conga interested in training people – speak with Suffolk New College. 
  • Halesworth ASH to set up Community Benefit Society 
  • Invite Opergy to present their full report to people of Halesworth and Town Council.
  • Schools plan worked up by Caroline, to be agreed by HASH over the next few months and year. 
  • Caroline/Schools work with Suffolk Sustainable Schools Network to build up Climate Ambassadors
  • HASH youth council or Schools COP?
  • Energy Champion William Poulson, trained as Domestic and Business EPC evaluator
  • Potential Domestic surgeries for residents, once familiar with grant funding opportunities. 
  • Potential solar project with HCSL. 
  • Confirm and plan a stall with children for April INK festival
  • Halesworth ASH set up open meeting for contacts and potential Friends including a skills audit
  • Follow up from event: Update email, thank speakers and helpers at the event, accounts, media strategy. 
  • Press release to Halesworth Community News/Hoot etc.