Ashton Hayes - Going Carbon Neutral
Ashton Hayes is an award winning village in rural Cheshire with ambition to become the UKs first carbon neutral village. Since 2006 the village has achieved a carbon reduction of 23% by introducing behavioural changes towards energy usage . For its endeavours, educational activities and future aspirations Ashton Hayes was awarded a DECC ‘Low Carbon Community Challenge’ Award in 2009. The village has subsequently become an early adopter of several low carbon technologies including two substantial photo-voltaic generation schemes and the introduction of a community electric vehicle.
Utilising Ofgem's Low Carbon Network Fund we are now assisting Ashton Hayes in the next stage of its drive towards the carbon neutral goal.
Village Electrical Consumption
Over the course of 2011 we will be installing advanced monitoring equipment on the low voltage electrical network that supports Ashton Hayes; providing the village community with accurate measurements of their total electrical consumption in close to real time. The same measurements will also provide us with a clear view of the present networks behaviour and capacity to accommodate low carbon technology.
Community Generation & Electric Vehicle
We further intend to support the village in its development of community owned renewable generation schemes and uptake of electrical vehicles. Utilising the monitoring capability we will assess the reduction on the electrical import from the network and subsequent carbon reduction. We will also identify the impact each of the schemes have on the network and identify the capacity of the network to receive further schemes without reinforcement.
Future Network Testing Ground
Ashton Hayes and its energy engaged community presents us with an excellent opportunity to trial emerging technologies and innovative customer arrangements. Over the course of the next 3-years we will be looking at several initiatives that will be based around the monitored consumption pattern in the village. These trials will be centred on gaining new learning for the UK that will enable carbon reduction via the development of a smarter electrical network.
