Image: Caversham Group Practice
Power Up North London (PUNL) has been awarded £34,140 by the GLA’s London Community Energy Fund for feasibility studies for putting solar panels on three buildings in Camden.
The mayor awarded a total of £150,000 to 13 solar energy projects across eight London boroughs.
PUNL was awarded £12,940 to investigate putting solar panels on the roof of the Caversham Group Practice (CGP), an established teaching and training practice in Camden with 15,000 registered patients. The community energy group estimates the panels (29kWp) will save 20-25% on the practice’s electricity bills. It is also looking at the use of battery storage.
At Kentish Town City Farm, a community charity that helps city people connect with animals, nature and the environment, the study (£9700) will be focused on whether a stable block can support solar panels (11kWp). The block is in a highly visible position enabling the promotion of renewable energy technologies to visitors.
And at the LUX Centre, an international arts agency in Waterlow Park, PUNL has been awarded £11,500 to investigate the feasibility of installing 34kWp of solar panels. It will also look at the possibility of installing battery storage that could enable charging electric vehicles overnight to help tackle pollution and clean up the air in the park. This project should result in financial savings for LUX that will be reinvested in community events and other energy efficiency initiatives.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London has a wealth of buildings that can harness solar energy, but we’re simply not making enough of them. Generating clean, local electricity can help cut bills, and bulk buying will make solar panels more affordable. I’m also working with Transport for London to expand the use of solar power and energy efficiency across their buildings. I’m delighted to see so much interest in community energy, which is just one part of my plan to make London a zero-carbon city by 2050.”
Ben Pearce one of the PUNL directors and secretary said: “Power Up North London is delighted that our three applications to the London Community Energy Fund were approved by the GLA. We are now looking forward to working with the three sites to explore the feasibility of solar PV installations and will also assess the potential for battery storage.
“The three sites, Caversham Group Practice, LUX (based in the Waterlow Park Centre) and Kentish Town City Farm are all community sites that deliver positive social impact for their users. They are all committed to combatting climate change and supporting those in need within our community.
“We also look forward to engaging with local residents, as we run community engagement events over the coming weeks and months. This is an opportunity to continue to shape community energy in North London and enable more local clean energy generation.”