Community Energy Making a Splash this Summer
In this issue…
- BEC 15th Birthday Celebrations – Get your ticket for the Members Event
- Highest Summer generation ever in June!
- BEC £5k Grant to BHCC’s Eco Education Programme & more
- Electric Vehicle Battery Project – “Reuseacell” Pilot On Track
- Talk at Shoreham Port Sustainability Week
- AGM Reminder
- BEC Legacy Project to be launched
- Representing Community Energy Groups at Sussex Energy Forum
Image: BEC Team, Board and Contractors & Wilding Waterhall
BEC’s 15th Birthday Party!
Sat 16 August, 1–5 PM Buffet Lunch, Walk & Music @Wilding Waterhall
We’re celebrating 15 years of Brighton Energy Co-op! That’s over £5 million raised for 4843.76 KWp of rooftop solar. We’ve produced 21,936,245 kWh of cleaner, greener solar electric saving 4,542,338.2 Kg of CO2 emissions! We’re the largest solar installer in the South East! So join us for a Real Junk Food Project buffet lunch, walk with the Ranger and live music at Brighton & Hove Food Partnership’s Wilding Waterhall Clubhouse. Short video about this local rewilding project here.
Tickets are going quick so grab one if you are a Member, Contractor, Partner Site or Bond Holder here.
Image: Bruce Forsyth. Photograph: ITV/Rex Features
BEC Generation Game
With 678 MWh of production from Brighton Energy Co-op’s rooftops – June was our best month ever! It’s not a competition, but it makes us smile when the BEC solar arrays are pumping out cleaner, greener solar electricity for our partner sites and the grid.
Image: Our Schools, Colleges and Members get a Carbon Saving Certificate Each Year
School Children Get It
Since our last newsletter we’ve run 15 more free Renewable Energy & Carbon Footprint Workshops for local schools. On top of this BEC’s given a £5k Grant to Brighton & Hove City Council’s eco education programme – Our City, Our World – to support energy education across the city, plus a further £6,450 of school grants have been allocated to local schools to continue the good work they’re doing with the Energy Sparks monitoring & education platform next academic year. With our help Coldean Primary managed to reduce their overall electricity use by a whopping 8% over the last year!
Read our new BEC energy education programme blog here.
We’re delighted to be able to continue to give local school children this essential knowledge boost thanks to the revenue generated by our solar electricity. Let’s get more solar built so we can give even more!
Image: Sarah & Mark Driver – owners of Rathfinny Wine Estate
Pioneering Electric Car Battery Reuse with Local Startup ‘Reuseacell’
BEC is partnering with Burgess Hill battery startup ‘Reusacell’ to install an innovative battery system at Rathfinny Wine Estate, who host one of BEC’s largest solar systems.
The battery is made from re-purposed EV batteries, and will optimise the on-site power use of our existing solar system there. The project is the brainchild of BEC member Chris Bridges, who, together with the BEC team, has been developing the project for two years. BEC will also take a stake in Reusacell and we look forward to more collaborations in the future. BEC’s pioneering like this to help reduce EV battery waste while exploring new sustainability solutions.
Image: BEC’s Matt Brown & Atlanta Cook Presenting at Shoreham Port
BEC at Shoreham Port Sustainability Week 2025
Alternative Energy: Paths towards Net Zero
We were invited to join Shoreham Port’s Director of Engineering, Brian Rousell, and Matthew Nixon from Worthing Heat Network to present our pioneering projects taking place locally to deliver low-carbon energy to Sussex.
As part of the Eco Port’s annual Sustainability Week. BEC spoke of our 8 community-owned port solar projects and potential future collaborations with our EV battery reuse project for “Net zero berths”.
This refers to port infrastructure designed to enable ships to plug into shore-side electricity, effectively eliminating operational emissions while berthed. This concept is part of a broader push towards net-zero shipping and decarbonizing port operations, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
BEC Team, Board, Contractors & Partners @Knepp Estate
Birthday Walk & Lunch
Thanks to everyone who came to our 15th Birthday Walk & Lunch at Knepp Rewilding Estate last month. The buzzing atmosphere, shining sun and exceptional food made it a very special day for us all. See you at the Members Party on Sat 16th Aug!
BEC Legacy Project
In Memory of Steven Biggs
We’re producing a 15 year BEC Legacy Document – the history of Brighton Energy Co-op, how it all started, the journey and challenges on the way, BEC’s role in the building of the community energy movement in the UK plus a special mention to commemorate Steven Biggs, one of our first Members who saw early on the value that BEC was going to bring.
Members AGM
Time To Reflect & Project
Join us at 6pm in the Hanover Room, Brighthelm Centre on Thurs 25th Sept for a presentation, Q&As, hot drinks & organic snacks. Thanks goes to all our Members & Bond Holders for your continued support!
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In other news… Damian Tow Represents Community EnergyOur Co-founder Damian Tow attended the recent Sussex Energy forum and he is now the community energy representative on the Sussex Energy partner group whose mission is to accelerate renewable energy and energy efficiency projects across Sussex. Congratulating BEC Board MembersWe’re also celebrating non-executive board members, Sue Paskins, on her 10th year on the BEC Board – thanks for your dedication and hard work Sue! Plus Stuart Condie has switched from being a Burgess Hill Town Councillor to Mayor – well done Stuart! Thank You!Board Members, Members, Bond Holders, Partner Sites, Volunteers and Supporters, thank you so much for continuing to strive for local action on climate change with us. We’ve a lot to celebrate in our 15th year – way to go BEC! Sunny regards,
If you’d like to know more about joining Brighton Energy Co-op you can find the Why Get Involved In Community Energy page here. You can sign up for our newsletter here. Feel free to share our newsletter with your friends & colleagues!
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