A COMMUNITY energy group in Barnsley are celebrating after winning a prestigious national award for their work with older people in social housing.
Energise Barnsley scooped the £10,000 prize at the 2024 Ashden Awards, which support climate innovators to build a fair and sustainable future.
The project, which was set up by Generation Community Ventures and Barnsley Council, uses rooftop solar energy and battery storage to lower bills for older people living in social housing.
Andy Heald, co-founder and director of Energise Barnsley, said it’s nice to be recognised through the award - and that the prize money will go back into their community fund.
“We’ve been going since 2015 so it’s nice to have judges at that level approve of our work,” Andy said.
“It will be a big boost to our community fund, which in the past has awarded money to local bowling and miners’ welfare clubs to replace their old floodlights with energy-saving LED ones.
“We’ve also funded food sharing schemes, healthy cooking classes, street planting projects and skips to prevent fly-tipping.”
Working with partners Age UK Barnsley and Berneslai Homes, Energise Barnsley have installed solar panels on 321 council-owned homes and added battery systems to 75 of these properties for the Smart Solar project.
Residents, who are all over 50, have had home visits on how to use the technology so they can now store the energy they generate, and use it when doing so to deliver the biggest savings.
In an area where 19 per cent of people find it challenging to afford their fuel bills, Energise Barnsley have lowered fuel costs by up to 50 per cent.
Age UK Barnsley have supported residents through the scheme with face-to-face visits to give advice on how to manage energy use and bills electronically.
Marjorie Litherland, a resident who benefited from the installation of solar panels and battery storage, said there was a point where she didn’t use her electric fire because of costs but the scheme has changed that.
“I used to have to switch the lights off, it was scary,” Marjorie said.
“Now I know that as long as the green light is on on my battery, even if it’s only one bar, then that electricity is free to me.
“Now when my battery is charged up at night I close my living room door and put the electric fire on to heat that room so I don’t have to use the gas central heating.
“It makes me feel good knowing that I’m using clean energy, that I’m not taking it off the National Grid and I can produce my own electricity.
“Because I want this planet to be here for my great-grandkids.”
Andy says the key to Energise Barnsley’s success has been ensuring the tenants are on board with the changes and understand how best to use their new technology.
“To ensure everyone benefits from the clean energy and technology revolution we need to make sure those who are less able to pay still get access to it.
“Electricity generation no longer needs to be top-down, it can and should be local.
“The uptake from the mostly retired tenants during this project on changes like smart metres and apps to control heating has been amazing to watch.
“That’s happened because we’ve worked so closely with the tenants, and the installation and maintenance has been done by the housing association and people the tenants trust.
“I always say that you’ve got to be able to explain it in the same way you would to your own mother - if you don’t, they won’t want to be involved.”
Louise Wood, project liaison officer at Berneslai Homes, said they regularly hear from tenants who have stopped doing things because they are worried about the cost.
“This scheme freed up that kind of worry,” Louise added.
“The tenants feel now that they can put the dryer on if they need to later in the evening.”
