Fintry community energy project

This is the video I showed at yesterday’s drop-in session and will be showing again on August 8th. It’s about a community energy project in Scotland which takes income generated from renewable energy production and pumps it into community activities, home energy conservation and other village projects. Click here to view. At the workshop yesterday we showed the video and asked people what projects they would like to see if they had money earned from renewable energy production to spend in their community. I’ll post the results later!

Energy Day at CAT: August 8th

Join me for a Home Energy Handbook ‘drop-in session’ and enjoy a whole day of energy related activities at CAT. Time to be confirmed.

CAT’s new book The Home Energy Handbook has been described as a ‘manifesto’ for community energy projects but it is also a brilliant practical guide for anyone wanting to save and generate energy in the home. We are offering a free drop-in session at the Centre for Alternative Technology for those who want to find out more about the book and learn more about community energy projects. The session will include a brief presentation, a screening of a community energy video and time for questions. Normal CAT entry prices apply; free entry if you bring proof of SY20 or SY19 residence.

Sign the petition to free climate change activist arrested without charge in the Maldives

FREE SHAUNA AMINATH

At approximately 6:15pm local time, Shauna Aminath, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Youth Wing President, and Policy Secretary, was arrested in Male and is currently being held in police custody in the Dhoonidhoo detention island. At this time the charges against her are unknown, the government has not yet allowed a lawyer to see her and the world does not know in what condition Shauna is being held.We are deeply worried about this arbitrary arrest.We request that a lawyer be allowed to meet her immediatly and that her basic human rights be respected.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/FREE_SHAUNA_AMINATH_1/?tta

Home Energy Handbook ‘drop-in’ sessions at CAT, 17th July 2012

Join us for one of three Home Energy Handbook ‘drop-in’ sessions
17th July 2012 (4-5pm, 5-6pm and 6-7pm).

Garden Room, the WISE building, Centre for Alternative Technology.

Each session is the same, lasts approximately an hour, and includes a brief talk, Q and A and some ‘browse and chat’ time. Refreshments provided.

CAT’s new book The Home Energy Handbook has been described as a ‘manifesto’ for community energy projects but it is also a brilliant practical guide for anyone wanting to save and generate energy in the home. We are offering drop-in sessions at the Centre for Alternative Technology for those who want to find out more about the book and learn more about community energy projects. Sessions will include a brief presentation, a screening of a community energy video and question and answer time with author Allan Shepherd and Information for Action co-ordinators Kit Jones and Sam Saville. Do join us on the 17th July. Normal CAT entry prices apply; free entry if you bring proof of SY20 or SY19 residence. Discounted copies of the book will be on sale.

Great review for The Home Energy Handbook

The Home Energy Handbook has just received a great review from Simon Brammer at Ashden. “Personally speaking, I took the book to bed with me and was so engrossed in it I didn’t put it down until 2.30am!”

“One of the things I like about the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)’s recently published Home Energy Handbook is that it doesn’t shy away from technical terms: ‘U-values’, ‘convection’, ‘conduction’, ‘Passivhaus’. Instead, it explains the terms and why you need to understand them, illustrates them with an easily digestible diagram, and then provides the solution to your problem. It’s like the Haynes Manual to energy in your home.

Unlike other advice books I have read, it’s also empowering. It tells you about how to go it alone or better still, how to set up a community energy project and do it with your neighbours and friends – then just when you start thinking I’m not sure I could do that, provides an inspiring case study that says, Obama-like, yes you can!”

CAT won an Ashden Award two years ago for its contribution to training the army of skilled workers needed to help transition Britain to a low carbon economy. Read the full review here, find out more about the Ashden network, and then follow the link to CAT to buy the book.

Home Energy Handbook interview with Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition movement

Rob Hopkins interviewed me last week via Skype about The Home Energy Handbook. Have a listen to our chat here. Also check out this free download from Blue and Green Tomorrow, which features an extract of The Home Energy Handbook and many interesting articles about renewable energy from a variety of writers.