Utility company OVO Energy is working with a community-owned wind project in Bristol to highlight the potential of community-driven solar projects.
The Ambition Community Energy (ACE) turbine, which OVO is working with, is one such project, wholly owned by the Lawrence Weston community in Bristol. The energy generated by the turbine is sold to the national grid, generating approximately £100,000 per year in income for the local area.
OVO now steps in to manage the energy produced and helps residents who are OVO customers to receive half-price electricity on windy days in exchange for the additional sustainable energy supply that goes into the electricity grid.
As a result of this partnership, from April 1, 2024, residents of Lawrence Weston will be alerted via text messages that a Windy Day is occurring and encouraged to use energy on this day.
They are then rewarded with Community Power Credits in their account to withdraw money from their accounts. This is open to all OVO customers with a smart meter in postal code area BS11.
Susie Leppard, head of renewable energy at OVO, said: “We are joining a community-owned energy project to help reduce bills. We believe these types of initiatives are a crucial way for people to access cheaper, greener energy on the grid.”
This article first appeared in Solar Power Portal’s sister publication Current±.
