South Cornelly Local Energy Market FAQs
Low Carbon Communities is an initiative launched by Bridgend County Borough Council to empower local communities to produce and share renewable electricity amongst participating households whilst helping to fight the climate crisis. This demonstration project will trial a community-based energy market.
Your home may have solar panels and batteries installed to generate and store electricity, which will then be released onto the network when electricity is needed. Your home could also store energy in a battery when the network doesn’t need it (such as midday when it is very sunny or early in the morning when activity is low). All of this will be controlled by software– you won’t have to lift a finger. You will of course be able to continue to use electricity just as you do today. In addition, your home may have a SolarVenti system installed to improve ventilation in the house.
No, there are no fees. Participation is free.
You will be helping to decarbonise South Cornelly in the first instance and if successful, other parts of Wales as well. Benefits will include
- free installation of equipment
- use of an increased percentage of renewable energy
- more control over your own electricity supply
- Monthly health check
- Access to helpdesk support
You don’t need to do anything differently as we want you to live your lives as normal. Your experiences and views are important and we will contact you for feedback.
No, not during the demonstration.
Approximately one week for solar panels and half day for SolarVenti. There will also be an initial pre-selection survey for SolarVenti systems that takes about 2 hours.
We will use professional installers who will keep disruption to a minimum.
The Low Carbon Communities consortium comprised of Nuvision Wales, Passiv UK, Challoch Energy, and Bridgend County Borough Council. It will not be shared with third parties. Nor will your personal data.
An essential element of this project is to publicise what we are doing to share the learnings and developments. From time to time, we may ask for your participation in interviews, photographs and videos. We will not disclose any of your personal information or images of you without your permission.
Yes, only a few of the homes will have solar panels on their roofs while others will be connected to the overall network.
Solar PV/ Batteries
The technologies installed will be owned by the Low Carbon Communities consortium.
Yes, this will be provided to you.
Yes, we can integrate your solar into the LEM.
If the trial does not move forward to the next phase, ownership of the equipment will be transferred (free of charge) to homeowners.
Solar Ventilation
The use of air from the natural environment for ventilation within a home through use of solar energy.
A patented system for extracting, warming and drying air from the natural environment for use within a home for ventilation purposes.
The main element of the system is a panel that looks very similar to a Photo Voltaic (PV) panel. Dimensions are circa 2000 *1000* 60mm deep.
The SolaVenti system will improve ventilation in the home and reduce energy bills.
Yes and full instructions for making changes to the parameters such as fan speed will be provided and demonstrated to the home owner.
No as adjustments are possible to minimise any noise.
The instrument installed for monitoring will provide information and will be given to the homeowner.
Yes but this will depend on the system installed, property type etc.
Yes and the interpretation of the findings will be discussed with the homeowners. No data will be put into the public domain.