Technical advice

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What is a cross cutting issue? A cross cutting issue brings together a range of additional links and sources of further information under a heading that relates to more than one approach.

Points you to some of the best sources of information on the different types of renewable energy installations and energy efficiency measures.

Renewable Technologies

The PlanLoCaL low carbon and renewable energy sources web page links to all the projects resources from outlining the initial consideration to financing a project (see resource link).

The Energy Saving Trust also has pages covering basic information about renewable technologies, aimed at domestic householders but also relevant for community buildings. They also have a technology selector to help you identify the most appropriate technology as well as a cashback calculator and downloadable factsheets (see the EST resources link to find direct links for all of these sources of information).

Other websites which provide downloadable factsheets, guides and case studies are the Centre for Alternative Technology and Seven Wye Energy Agency.

For information about each of the specific technologies try visiting the following websites, there are also links to further resources and case studies at the end of the approaches on wind, hydro, AD, PV and heating community buildings:

Solar Power http://www.solar-trade.org.uk/

Wind http://www.bwea.com/

Hydropower http://www.british-hydro.org/index.html

Heat Pumps http://www.heatpumps.org.uk/

Combined Heat and Power http://www.chpa.co.uk

Biomass http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk

Anaerobic Digestion http://www.anaerobic-digestion.com/

For more support you could also contact a local energy agency or your local authority renewable energy officer.

Energy Efficiency Options

Carrying out an energy audit will help to determine what energy efficiency measures are possible and what might be most appropriate for a building. You can carry out your own energy audit using this checklist and guide produced by National Energy Action (pdf 1).

You could also ask a professional to carry out an audit for you. A local energy agency or consultant would be able to do this.

Once you’ve determined what measures can be taken you can get further advice about how to go about it from many sources including the EST best practice guides (see resource link to publications).