SOLAR panels on the roofs of Lymm’s four primary schools have raised £3,800 for the village community this year – as well as cutting energy costs for the schools.
As a result, community benefit society Lymm Community Energy (LCE) is inviting grant applications from community groups for environment-friendly projects in the village.
The solar photovoltaic installations on the four schools continue to perform exceptionally well, reducing energy use and costs for the schools as well as enabling LCE to pay interest to members and build up a fund to benefit the wider community.
Over the past few years, LCE’s Community Benefit Fund has helped fund projects that reduce energy demand and carbon emissions in Lymm, such as efficient lighting, ventilation and insulation at Maple Lodge and the Youth and Community Centre.
This year’s fund is widening the scope of projects eligible for funding to include projects that will support the community to deliver environmental benefits in the Lymm area. The fund is open to any organisation providing services to the community in Lymm, enabling delivery of projects to improve the environment in Lymm and the surrounding area.
LCE chairman Cllr Bob Barr said: “Despite the pandemic, the four solar installations have continued to perform well and we are delighted that the community benefit fund this year totals £3,800. We hope to see applications from community groups that respond to the climate emergency in creative ways.
“By widening the scope of the fund this year, we are keen to see projects that will deliver a really wide range of benefits.”
The fund is open for applications immediately –a guidance document and application form are available on the Lymm Community Energy website –with applications being considered on a first-come, first-served basis. The fund will remain open until all the available budget has been allocated.
LCE is working to bring forward further energy projects in Lymm, in particular developing a proposal for a ground-mounted solar farm that would hugely increase the amount of locally generated renewable energy.
Richard Catchpole, a director of LCE. who is leading the solar farm project development, said: “We are currently undertaking surveys and investigations as part of the next stage of the design for the solar farm. We’ve already carried out a wide-ranging community consultation programme and will be doing more over this year as we develop our plans. We’ve put all the information we have at present on our website and welcome questions or comments at any time.”
LCE is entirely run by volunteer members of the community and is always keen to hear from people who would like to get involved or who have ideas for future activities.
More information is available on the website https://lowcarbonlymm.org.uk/lymm-community-energy/
