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MARCH 2010 - PRESS RELEASE

European Award for Gloucestershire's Energy Neighbourhoods

The European Energy Neighbourhood project, which included over 110 Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire households, has just been awarded the winning prize by the European Commissions’ ManagEnergy Local Energy Action Award for being the best local energy initiative. The award was presented by European Commissioner for Energy, Günter Oettinger at a ceremony in Brussels.

Kaye Welfare from Severn Wye Energy Agency, the organization that ran the project in the UK said, “we are delighted to have won this award, it really is a testament to the many Gloucestershire residents who took part and who built energy efficiency into their household daily lives. This project has shown, not just in the UK but in the other 8 European countries who took part, that small changes in behavior and the way we use energy around the home, can yield significant reductions in energy consumption”.

There were 58 case studies submitted to ManagEnergy in 2010 for assessment, as examples of good practice. As the winning initiative, the Energy Neighbourhood project will be used by the European Commission as a reference for European local authorities of Best Practice.

The UK winning neighbourhood was the Wotton under Edge, Blue Coat School PTA, who managed to make an average saving of 17.22%. Below is a picture of the UK award ceremony held in the summer of 2009 for all the UK energy neighbourhood project participants. The second photo is of the winning family from Wotton under Edge attending the European prize giving event in October 2009, where the overall European winning neighbourhood was announced.

OCTOBER 08

Countdown to Carbon Wars

The countdown to the countys hot energy saving competition has begun. Households from across Gloucestershire are poised to begin their energy saving journey to become the top low energy community in the county, and perhaps even Europe.

Over 200 households are looking forward to lower fuel bills this winter, despite the recent price rises. Project coordinators Severn Wye Energy Agency claim the average household can save around 10% (currently about £100 a year) off their fuel bills by following their advice, and that some households could save twice that much!

Already 12 energy masters have been briefed, trained and given the tools needed to help their communities become energy saving champions.

On November 1st people will be dusting off their electricity and gas meters, and recieving their first energy saving activity of the contest. Over the next 6 months they will recieve a further 24 activities, as well as gifts and energy saving gadgets to help them slash their bills over the winter.

By April there will be a winning community from Gloucestershire, and members of this lucky community will travel to Brussels to see how they compared to hundreds of other communities across Europe.

ENDS

For more information see www.energyneighbourhoods.eu or www.swea.co.uk

Contact Beth Callinan on 01594 544458 for details.

GRCC release Sept 08

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Energy savers wanted!

Gloucestershire residents are being sought to take part in an exciting new energy saving competition.

Communities will go head to head in the competition to reduce their energy consumption the most over a 6 month period. Winners will be awarded an Eco Hamper for each household as well as tickets to travel to an International Awards Ceremony in Brussels.

All participants will receive a variety of energy saving gadgets and eco goodies throughout the competition, including energy saving lightbulbs, eco kettles and hot water tank jackets, and will have the chance to win spot prizes of standby saver gadgets, water powered clocks, fridgesaver plugs and wind up radios and torches.

Around 10 – 15 households in each of the following areas are sought:

Cam Parish
Stroud Town
Wooton Town
Cirencester Town
Gloucester City
South Gloucestershire
Tenants of Fosseway Living
Tenants of Gloucester City Homes
Tenants of Cheltenham Borough Homes
Tenants of Two Rivers
Tenants of Stroud District

To take part or find out more contact the Severn Wye Energy Agency on