News / Energy
People-owned power project launches in Bristol
A new community energy initiative that aims to cut household bills while reducing reliance on fossil fuels is making inroads in Bristol.
People Owned Power (POP) helps communities to generate, store and share their own renewable energy by installing solar panels, heat pumps and batteries.
Already operational in East Sussex and London, with Bristol-adjacent projects set up in Frome and Yatton, the company has now located two team members in the city itself who are actively seeking five houses on each of ten streets to serve as demonstration projects for renewable infrastructure.
“Every year, Bristol households send approximately £500 million to fossil fuel companies,” said CEO Howard Johns, basing his figures on 200,000 Bristol households with an average £2,500 energy bill.
“This is money that does not stay in local communities, does not improve household quality of life, and that directly supports pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By coming together, households can bring more affordable, cleaner and fairer energy to their streets, bringing benefits today and for decades to come.”
High attendance at POP’s Bristol launch event at Zerodegrees on November 21 indicate a significant interest in clean energy in the city
POP’s existing projects have reduced the grid reliance of households involved by up to 80 per cent.
The company is looking to work with local energy organisations and community groups. Their launch event at at Zerodegrees on Wednesday featured Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC) CEO Helen Martin and community organiser Manu Maungunidze.
BEC itself has installed over 20 solar farms and rooftop arrays in and around Bristol, helping to generate clean local energy while saving those sites thousands on their energy bills and delivering the profits back to local communities.
POP is looking for households that are keen to kickstart the shift to renewables, helping to lay the foundations for what the company calls “communities as power stations”.
“There is no time like now to upend the existing energy system and put people first,” said Johns.
“More than clean energy, renewables are about taking control of your bills and energy security. By working with streets and communities, we make sure households no longer feel alone in navigating this – they are part of a movement to keep money in their communities, instead of sending it to fossil fuel companies.”
All photos: People Owned Power
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