In 2019 the government decided that using Natural Gas for heating and hot water was no longer compatible with their net zero emission commitments for 2050. They therefore announced the intention to prohibit the installation of gas and oil boilers in all new domestic properties from 2025. Eventually all existing gas and oil boilers will be phased out and the Committee on Climate Change (the government’s independent advisor) has said that we will need to install new boilers that use clean hydrogen or electric powered heat pumps. There is currently no detailed plan for either of these possibilities.
The Greener Great Coxwell group has been investigating a community owned, sustainable and secure energy project that would provide heating and hot water for the whole village.
 
With your support, we believe the objectives of such a scheme could be to –

• Provide the same temperature of hot water and central heating as your existing oil or gas boiler at less cost.
• Provide a sustainable and reliable supply of renewable heat energy for decades to come. 
• Help to cut the carbon footprint of the village contributing towards the UK’s 2050 Carbon Neutral goals.

 
The scheme would potentially use a ground source heating system powered by a solar PV installation. Heat distribution would be through an insulated pipe network connected to each participating home via a small heat transfer unit. Similar schemes are common on the continent and several are under construction or in planning locally, for example at North Aston and Upper Heyford in north Oxfordshire and at Swaffham in Cambridgeshire (https://heatingswaffhamprior.co.uk ).  Households not wishing to participate would not be affected in any way.
  
To  help  with  our  understanding  and  potential  for  such  a  scheme,  we became members of the Low Carbon Hub (https://www.lowcarbonhub.org/), the Oxfordshire organisation working to promote Community based and sustainable energy sources, and the South East Energy Hub (www.energyhub.org.uk), a collaboration of Local Enterprise Partnerships working to support local energy projects in south-east England. The latter provides grants for feasibility studies and business development via the Rural Community Energy Fund, which we would hope to take advantage of. We have also made contact with other projects including Heating Upper Heyford (https://heatupperheyford.wixsite.com/website) and held discussions and taken expert advice from several renewable energy consultants.
 
All agreed that our scheme is potentially viable and worthy of your consideration and we are therefore writing to you asking for an indication of support from as many villagers as possible to enable us to progress to a grant funded research stage. To support us  please go to our website and complete an expression of interest form at www.greenergreatcoxwell.com or e-mail energy@greenergreatcoxwell.com for more information.  We will be manning a stand at the Great Barn Festival on 18-19th September and on 25th at Faringdon’s Great Green Day in the Faringdon Corn Exchange between 10:00-1:00. Later we will be arranging meetings or Zoom calls to discuss with anyone interested.   
 
Expressing an interest is all that is required at this stage.  Your expression of interest does not imply any other obligation or commitment.  
 
At the moment details of a scheme are difficult to predict – the first and second rounds of grant funding are specifically to engage consultants to assess the project's feasibility, keep the community involved and plan the scheme in detail. However, we have some pointers from existing schemes:

• Planning would be grant funded so there are no initial costs. The planning procedure would also investigate the most appropriate source of development funding.
• Our aspiration is that there would be no installation costs and no service or equipment replacement costs. All costs are included in a monthly energy bill which is expected to be lower than current energy costs.
• The scheme would guarantee heat delivery of 72 degrees in the winter and 62 degrees in the summer which is the equivalent temperature of an oil or gas boiler. This has the advantage of plugging straight into your current hot water central heating systems. Service provision is also guaranteed.
• The monthly energy bill is made up of a standing charge and metered usage just like electricity or gas.
• The impact on the community and on the households of the change to the new scheme has been found to be minimal. The change from a boiler to the Heat Transfer Unit (HTU) is completed in a couple of days and the HTU is half the size of an average oil boiler.
• The solar installation and the boreholes for the heat pump would require a dedicated area of land and a small building to house the pumps and potentially heat storage units (hot water tanks). We would hope to lease this land from local landowners. Once the installation is complete the land would be suitable for use as pasture but the precise area required would depend on the take-up and geological factors that would be researched as part of the feasibility study.
• The financing model would be investigated during the second, business development round of grant funding. Development costs could come from grant money, loans or investment from community funds and may include investment opportunities for our community.

 
A comparable but slightly larger scheme is in progress at Swaffham in Cambridgeshire which is expected to sign up 150 households. You can get details of a more advanced project from their website - www.heatingswaffhamprior.co.uk .
 
We hope you will be interested in this scheme and will support us in seeking a research grant by completing an expression of interest form at the Great Barn Festival, visiting our website at www.greenergreatcoxwell.com  or e-mailing energy@greenergreatcoxwell.com for more information.
 
Thank you,
 
Annabelle Zinovieff, Ken Hirons, Ian Mason, Karen Mason, Margaret O’Donohoe, Richard Benwell, Sophie Stainer, Jacqui Russell
​

Update on our projects

Solar Streets - have been taken up and supported by Faringdon Town Council and through them we have got involved. A leaflet will be posted through everyone's door and a banner is to go up on the Reading Room railings - thank you to Jacqui for ok-ing this. Greener Great Coxwell don’t endorse Solar Streets but we thought the village might be interested in it. There is a Zoom Q & A session soon. We would be interested to know what parishioners think of solar panels on roofs in the village? Is there any strong opinion out there?

Sustainable heating/energy source - it has been a slow month. We are waiting for Rural Communities Energy Fund to get back to us about commissioning a feasibility study. We have been in touch with Heating Upper Heyford who are a community group looking into a very similar project to ours.

Pond at the Great Barn - Colin is doing water quality tests every two weeks. The contractor has been and sprayed the pennywort. Colin has seen newts and fish in the water and 5 species of dragonfly. Going forward the margins of the pond will be replanted. The National Trust have mown paths around the Great Barn. The long grass will be cut on the 17th September and help with raking from the parish would be appreciated.

Footpaths - Andy Cato will mow them asap.

Community Orchard - NT are looking into a potential piece of land for us.

Remembrance Garden - next to the graveyard. Anne is looking into funding for finishing off the garden working with the original plan, Maureen Turner, our vicar, and with Lindsay O'Kelly’s father, Ian Burn. 

Park - the plan is to stick to mowing the wild area at end August and rake up the long cut grass. Sow yellow rattle seed into the soil. As a few of the original trees have died what would we like to replace them maybe with trees specifically for the Queen’s Canopy (a jubilee initiative)

Great Barn Festival - we have been kindly offered a 3x3 ft table at the event so we will be there.

Next meeting September 2 at 8pm 2021. 

Is there a source of grants to insulate homes of those struggling to finance it themselves? 

A scheme has just launched in Oxfordshire to fund 100% of the cost of insulation to retrofit homes in fuel poverty. The property needs to have an EPC rating of a D, E, F or G with a household income of under £30,000. If you don’t have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) one can be sorted. The fund is open until September 2021 (courtesy of central government) so if you know of any residents in the village (or anywhere in Oxfordshire) who might be eligible please put them in touch with the National Energy Foundation - https://www.bhbh.org.uk/grants-and-funding/. Also, you can call Better Housing Better Health on 0800 038 6030.

The free phone line is open from 9 – 5 Monday to Friday (exc. bank holidays) or alternatively email greenhomesgrant@nef.org.uk with your full name, address and phone number after which one of our advisors will give you a call. It may also be possible for a household income to be in excess of £30,000 and still eligible for funding where the household composition means that incomes are stretched amongst many dependent children. If you would like to be considered on this basis please also contact the scheme using the details above.

Funding is available for energy efficiency improvements such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and heating system replacements through the ECO scheme. Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty.
This funding is available for vulnerable households. This has been defined as a household that is receiving income-related benefits, or has a low overall household income and a resident with a vulnerability to the cold. Vulnerabilities can include suffering from a long-term health condition, being in receipt of a non-means tested benefit or living in a property that has a low energy performance’.

How to switch to a green renewable energy source.

This is a simple step to take. If we all switched, then energy companies would have to generate more energy renewably to meet demand. The Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/switching-your-energy-supplier/

Ever thought of installing Solar Panels? With the wholesale cost of natural gas has rising by 50% over the last 6 months and the UK Government energy regulator announcing an increase in energy costs by up to £139 extra per year, perhaps now is the time to look again.  This could help with the sustainable energy transformation, reduce electricity costs, improve fuel security and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. 

Greener Great Coxwell has agreed to help publicise the Solar Streets Faringdon+ initiative. This gives residents the opportunity to consider an economical offer of a basic solar energy installation (https://solarstreets.co.uk/FaringdonPlus), made possible by combining with other local groups. Residents should receive a leaflet explaining the project over the weekend. We cannot endorse this initiative ourselves but it has been supported by many local councils other than Faringdon  including; Didcot, Wallingford and Henley. You are invited to join a Launch Presentation and Q&A  Zoom session next Tuesday, 10th August at 7-8 pm, when you will be able to question the experts and find out more about the technology.      

Please see a copy of the leaflet below or download it here. 

Ken Hirons
​

Projects:

• On-going work with a solar energy project and heat generation for our homes  (in more detail below). Working with Solar Streets.  https://solarstreets.co.uk
• Retrofitting homes to make them more energy efficient maybe with the help of Cosy Homes Oxfordshire.  https://cosyhomesoxfordshire.org
• Discussions with National Trust about making the pond at the Great Barn a more balanced and healthy ecosystem. 
• Making contact with Andy Cato who has taken over Colleymore Farm to find out more about his environmentally-sensitive farming methods.
• Discussions with the Parish Council about the management of the wild area in the Park
• Working with our Church on rewilding the Remembrance Garden next to the graveyard.
• Community orchard - assessing feasibility and seeking a potential site. 
• Plant a tree for her Majesty’s Jubilee (The Queens’ Green Canopy project) - we are keen to do something with the whole village and parish council. 

 
Sustainable energy Source - we are investigating two possible energy projects:
 
Electricity generation. The main sources of renewable energy are wind, water or solar. Oxfordshire is classed a low wind region. We have no large water source so solar is our best option. Solar PV panels could be on a large roof, say an agricultural building, or ground mounted.  However, the pricing model imposed by the national grid is disadvantageous.  In most projects  the power generated goes into the grid. The grid would pay a small fee per unit generated whilst electricity we consumed from the grid is charged at three times this price.  Therefore, it makes much more economic sense if we could use the electricity we generate ourselves. 

And so we come to the Ground Source Heat Pump.  Energy costs are comparable to those of oil-fired heating systems but the costs are rather more than the cost of using gas for heating and hot water.  (Most home in the parish use gas). This is where the solar comes in. If we generate our own electricity through solar panels and use it to power the pump this should lower the over all cost of the hot water. The main priority is to decarbonise our heating systems.

Next step is a feasibility study. We are talking to both Low Carbon Hub and Rural Communities Energy Fund to see if this is something they would help us fund and organise.  
 
Next meeting 5th August 2021 8pm - anyone in the village with an interest in the ‘green’ agenda is invite to attend.  Just drop an email to ians.mason@btinternet.com and we’ll add you to the circulation list.
 
RIVERCIDE
George Monbiot video made on the 14th July on the state of our rivers including the River Wye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ID0VAUNANA
 
Low Energy Bulbs
One of the easiest things we all can do to make our homes more energy efficient, save money and cut our energy bills is to switch all our light bulbs to LED bulbs. Here’s why: LEDs can help you save lots of energy compared to the old incandescent bulbs. They use 75% less electricity. They last 25 times longer. They emit less heat (incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat). AND you are helping to save the planet!

The Great Coxwell sustainability group has been renamed 'Greener Great Coxwell’
 
Summary of the 4th meeting of Greener Great Coxwell, 3rd June 2021
 
Chowle Farm Plot - We raised £60,000 for the auction but the bidding went up to £116,000 and we were unsuccessful.  There was no charge for registering to bid or bidding.  All the money pledged has been returned. The purchaser is a company called Hunter and Smoakes who are into charcoal production. We have been in contact with them and they are aware that we represent the environmental interests of the village.  We will keep in touch with them and are hoping to build a future relationship and work them when it comes to the future management of the land. 
 
We talked about setting up a legal framework for the group with a bank account and accountability.  It was thought this was unnecessary at his stage but once bigger projects with financial implications are underway we will need to revisit this.
 
We discussed a parish survey to give us a cleared picture of people's concerns, what help they would like, and what ‘green’ aspirations they had.
 
Projects:

• On-going work with a solar energy project and heat generation for our homes. 
• Discussions with National Trust about making the pond at the Great Barn a more balanced and healthy ecosystem. 
• Looking to see if we have village enthusiasm for a community orchard and for a plot this could be on. 
• Plant a tree for her Majesty’s Jubilee - we are keen to do something with the whole village and parish council.

Next meeting 1 July 2021 8pm - anyone in the village with an interest in the ‘green’ agenda is invited to attend.  Just drop an email to ians.mason@btinternet.com and we’ll add you to the circulation list.
 
Compost bins and water butts: 
Oxfordshire County Council use this company - link below, to offer advice and sell kit for composting. The large compost bins are £20 for the 1st one and half price for for the second. 
 
You can also buy timber flat packed compost boxes from around £45. Or you can easily make them from pallets or just make a heap!  https://getcomposting.com/en-gb/
 
There are so many great birds to choose from this month. 
Take a walk across Siberia and you’ll surely hear the skylarks. It’s no wonder that their song is world-famous. It’s beautiful and it’s tireless. The larks launch into the air before the sun is up and each song flight can last for several minutes. Luckily, they can breathe and sing at the same time! 
But the one to really take a moment to listen for is the corn bunting. Corn bunting populations have crashed in recent years, so we’re lucky to have them in Coxwell. Their song is like a jangling of keys, slow and then faster. There’s often one sitting on the wire above the solitary bush by the path. Hope you enjoy it.
​

Dear friends, 

Thank you so much for your support for the project.

The auction just closed and the land was sold for £116,000, so we were outbid by a huge margin. 

We're so sad about the result but so glad that you were so amazing in your response.  Raising £59,000 in just a few days was truly spectacular.

It's certainly heartening to know that there are so many people who care so much for wildlife that they're willing to help a little community, sometimes from the other side of the world! We'll do what we can to work with the new owners to protect the site.

We will close the crowdfunder in a moment and your fantastic pledges will be refunded. The crowdfunder site says that refunds should be processed within 5 working days, so please keep an eye out.

Thanks again for your support. It's made us all the more determined to do what we can to make our little patch of the world greener.

Best wishes,
"Greener Great Coxwell"
​

Dear friends,
 
Thank you for your wonderful support so far! 
 
We've reached £30,000 in pledges in just a few days, so we're half way to our target.
 
We'd like to invite you to an informal online Q&A about our proposals on Monday 24 May (next Monday), 8.00-9.00pm. We'll report on progress, answer questions, and we'd love to hear your ideas. Just click here to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81418894165 
 
Alternatively, you can find our contact details in the attachment if you'd like to talk separately. Please do let us know if you'd like to support the project.
 
Thank you again.

You can find out all about the project here.​

Please take time to read the attached which provides full details of the opportunity for the village to acquire some green space, more information can also be found on the crowd funding page.
​

We may be locked down, but there are no borders for birds and thank goodness! The warblers with their wonderful voices are arriving back in Great Coxwell, some from as far away as Southern Africa.

One easy one to hear is the Chiffchaff. They'll sit in the treetops, tweeting out the rhythm of life: "chiff chaff chiff chap chiff chaff" for hours on end. Listen here: ♫ Chiffchaff - song / call / voice / sound.

The best place for warblers in the village is the scrubby bit up beyond the big oak in the field beyond the Barn. You'll hear blackcaps and willow warblers and, on a sunny day, the chiffchaff is a safe bet.

My biology teacher would often cry "it's a chiffchaff, chaps", wherever we were and whatever we were doing, much to the mortification of the class. Now, of course, so do I. 

GARDENING TIP
As this wonderful weather stays and we might look to growing flowers or vegetables here is an amazing fact about PEAT:

There is a lot of carbon locked up in peat. Peatlands are the largest and most concentrated global store of carbon. They contain twice the carbon of all the global forests even though they only cover 3% of the planet. They are energy balls of carbon. Peatlands can take thousands of years to form. Once they're dug up for us to use in our gardens, the carbon they've locked away for millennia is released and contributes to climate change.

So let's protect our peatlands and keep it in a bog by taking care not to buy peat based composts. 

From the Great Coxwell Sustainability Group