Camden community partnership helping to reduce CO2 emissions
As part of an innovative community funded solar panel partnership between Camden Council and Power Up North London, work has recently completed installing solar panels on the roof of Talacre Community Sports Centre.
Power Up North London (PUNL) are a group of committed volunteers in North London who work with local communities to fund, install, own and manage their own low-carbon energy solutions.
Tackling the climate emergency is a priority in Camden. We have committed to do all that we can to make Camden a zero-carbon borough by 2030 and declared a climate emergency in 2019.
This however is an ambitious target that we will not be able to achieve alone, therefore partnerships like this with Power Up North London, who invest in local assets to help Camden tackle the climate emergency, are vital in helping us achieve our goals.
PUNL raised £80,000 for the installation, through a community share offer, which will include of over 200 solar panels on the roof of the building, including 32 panels recycled from a previous council project.
Councillor Adam Harrison continued:
“This scheme is similar in approach to the council’s successful Camden Climate Investment which raised money to directly fund a range of local climate projects that are part of the Camden Climate Action Plan.
“These panels will now provide electricity to the leisure centre throughout the year and will help to reduce the sports centre’s carbon footprint by approximately 12 tonnes/CO2 per year, that’s the equivalent of driving a petrol car around the circumference of the Earth five times.
“PUNL are seeking to deliver several schemes in the upcoming years in Camden, including potential projects at Regent High and Parliament Hill schools as well as other leisure sites and we look forward to partnering them on further projects moving forward.”
The Talacre Community Sports Centre is operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited on the Council’s behalf, and the electricity produced will help to reduce energy bills on the site for the next 20 years. This project will provide some support in a time of high energy prices and help to make Camden’s leisure facilities more resilient.
Dr Joanna Macrae, Chair of Power Up North London said:
“Talacre's solar roof is PUNL's tenth and largest project to date. We raised £80,000 from local investors in just over a month, half the time we had set ourselves.
“The project's success proves local people want to invest their money in schemes that result in cleaner and cheaper energy in the fight against climate change.
“Looking ahead, PUNL is determined to build on the success of Talacre and is already working on proposals to install solar panels on two local secondary schools as well as a number of NHS sites.”
Jeremy Gould, National Sustainability Manager, GLL said:
“GLL’s social purposed business is making a ‘step change’ to green our national operations with ‘Respecting the Planet’ as one of our core values and initiatives like Camden’s are a key part of this process.
“Working in partnership with organisations like Power Up North London and Camden Council on projects like this will accelerate our progress towards net zero and save money on our energy bills. As a result, we can deliver a better, greener service for local residents.”
The council’s partnership with PUNL is one of its approaches to reducing the carbon emissions from its corporate buildings, having recently completed the low carbon refurbishment of the Camden Town Hall and Swiss Cottage Library.
The council’s Carbon Management Plan defines how it measures, manages, and reduces emissions from its estate and operations. The plan is being used to deliver initiatives that will reduce emissions in line with the council’s 2030 ambition, with the 2021/22 emission report showing that the council have reduced CO2e emissions by 59%.
- Camden’s Climate Action Plan (2020-2025) sets out a framework for climate action by the Council and across the community.
- Camden’s Citizen’s Assembly included recommendations to install solar panels on as many buildings as possible, to help mobilise existing community groups and to pilot more community energy schemes – the project delivers on these three recommendations.
Power Up North London is a volunteer-led organisation that works with local communities to fund, install, own, and manage their own low-carbon energy solutions. We believe in the power of collective action to tackle the impacts of climate change and to build resilient communities.
For more information on PUNL's projects please go to: https://powerupnorthlondon.org or contact us by emailing: info@powerupnorthlondon.org or calling 07897 581099.