Old East Community Energy Co-operative

tags:

A few of us have gathered together and are exploring the possibility of forming a neighbourhood energy co-operative. We are looking for for a few good men and women who are interested in helping to organize this effort. Our first task will be to conduct a carbon audit of the neighbourhood.

I suspect that this will be a rather complicated undertaking that will not produce measurable results until some time down the road. If you have an interest in working with neighbours who share a common interest in community energy projects and ideas, live in Old East Village, and have the time and energy to commit to our journey, please drop by and let me know.

Greg! How's it going?

Submitted by Sean H on October 27, 2007 - 8:58pm.

Hi Greg,

That is a terrific idea. I would offer to help but the commute would kill.

Seriously, though ... as you know Bev and I have been talking about energy for ... tirelesly ... forever. You will also recall An Evening of Wine and Seeds. We organized "Sowing the Seeds of Energy Diversity" this year in Simcoe. But, yeah, yeah, what's my point?

We are doing another one in February and the theme, which Old Easters might be interested in, is "Building a Local Economy".

I have been trying to find a Professional Urban Planner to come and speak about aspects of their Healthy Communities. Sustainable Communities. I haven't found one yet (think you might know anyone?). There will be two additional speakers but we are still deciding on the topics and speakers. But the idea is to talk about how to build a local, sustainable economy.

Maybe there is room for cross-pollination ... ? In any case, it sounds like a great project.

Health Communities, Sustainable Communities

Submitted by Greg Thompson on October 28, 2007 - 8:05am.

We can solve the commuting issue, Sean, if we can find you a job here in London. I can't speak for eveyone but I suspect that most of us would be quite happy to welcome you and Bev back into the 'hood. Where you belong, by the way.....

Sean Hurley coming back to town.

Submitted by Greg Thompson on October 29, 2007 - 1:00pm.

I was sure that my last post would have provoked some kind of reaction, Sean. Or Bev. You must be getting way too comfortable out there in Vienna.

Greg and Sue moving to Vienna to become survivalists

Submitted by Sean H on October 30, 2007 - 7:05am.

Not too comfortable. Fat and content. Oh, alright, just fat.

Moving to Vienna? Not!

Submitted by Greg Thompson on October 30, 2007 - 1:30pm.

I like the burg. I like the house. I like the river in the backyard. Hell, I even like you. But we are, like you ought to be, concerned with dealing with London's problems.

After all, if we can't get these problems fixed, how fast and how far are you able to run?

Great Idea -- Let us know if we can help

Submitted by Dan Bashaw on October 26, 2007 - 4:54pm.

Hi Greg -- I'm a London resident, though not in your neighbourhood, and am active with the Post-Carbon London group. (www.postcarbonlondon.ca).

We have a number of Community Energy Planning workshops coming up in London... These workshops might be a very good opportunity to bring neighbourhood energy activists together to start discussing your project -- it sounds like exactly the kind of community initiative we are hoping to see starting across London. We'd be glad to help out in any way we can.

Upcoming Community Energy Planning workshops in East London include:

EAST LONDON Library – Saturday, Nov. 17, 1-3:30 p.m.

BEACOCK Library – Saturday, Nov. 3, 1-3:30 p.m.

There are more listed on the web site, as well.

And feel free to contact us directly for support as well -- I know a couple of members of our steering committee are familiar with the ins and outs of green project grant funding, for example, and there are also several Post-Carbon London members and contacts with various technical skills that may prove useful to you down the road.

Can you describe a bit more of what you envision? Are you looking towards an energy purchasing coop, or a coop energy-generation project... maybe a neighbourhood solar array selling energy into the grid?

Thanks for the offer.

Submitted by Greg Thompson on October 26, 2007 - 5:33pm.

"Can you describe a bit more of what you envision? Are you looking towards an energy purchasing coop, or a coop energy-generation project... maybe a neighbourhood solar array selling energy into the grid?"

The answer to your question is Yes.

We're not sure exactly what form the co-op (if that's what the final structure will be) will take. But those of us involved at this time share a belief that it is at the neighbourhood level, where people know one another and trust one another, that there is the greatest prospect for meaningful change.

There is far more than enough capacity in this neighbourhood to carry the project through to a successful completion. We truly appreciate the offer of assistance, and will probably take you up on it, but this is a project that is staying in the neighbourhood to be completed by people in the neighbourhood for the benefit of the neighbourhood. Or, at least, that's the plan. Until it changes.