After rent or mortgage costs, energy bills are usually our biggest household expenses.
Most people get their gas and electricity from the “Big 6” energy providers who make large profits and whose customer service often leaves a lot to be desired.
We think that a Middleton community energy company can generate local renewable energy, and keep more of what we all spend on energy circulating in the local economy, for all our benefit.
At Middleton Co-operating, we’re committed – as you can see in our Charter of Principles – to work with urgency and imagination towards a zero-carbon future.
Middleton Community Power is a group of local residents & activists that have come together to explore how we can set up a community-owned energy provision in Middleton and generate local renewable energy and to reduce carbon emissions.
Our two initial priorities are solar power generation and retro-fitting buildings.
We aim to identify local buildings and open spaces where we can install arrays of solar panels, providing cheaper green electricity and reducing emissions from power generation. The arrays will be community-owned and the benefits will be reinvested and used for community benefit. Read more about Solar for Middleton here.
“Retro-fitting” is the adaptation of buildings – through, for example, better insulation – in order to reduce energy use. To address climate change, this will need doing nationally on a major scale over the coming years – starting now. We see opportunities and benefits from doing this through community-owned businesses that develop skills and provide good jobs.
For more information on community energy, solar generation, and retro-fitting, please see what others are doing:
If you’d like to get involved in Middleton Energy Co-op, please contact us at energy@middleton.coop
