About Oldham Energy Futures
How can local people improve the power, heat and transport systems that serve them whilst benefiting their neighbourhood?
In Oldham Energy Futures Carbon Coop is supporting two neighbourhoods, Sholver and Westwood, to discover, shape, test and own plans & projects designed to transform their neighbourhood.
For us putting citizens at the front and centre of decision making and planning in their local area is the key to kick starting the energy transition.
Follow the story of our two local energy community groups on social media, where we will share our materials, reflections and processes and begin to imagine what your community’s energy future could be.
This project is funded by ICLEI as part of Action Fund.
how will we do it?
A group of 12 local representatives in each neighbourhood will offer their local knowledge and expertise to develop local energy action plans and hands-on projects alongside energy professionals and planners. The programme is a mixture of learning about energy issues and making key recommendations that will put their community on track for a low carbon future, in which local people benefit from the solutions created. The wider local community, business and organisations will also be engaged in the conversation, helping to shape the plans and projects as they form.
We aim to…
Empower Oldham communities to shape their future energy system
Develop bespoke energy action plans for Sholver and Westwood informed by local expertise and open data sets
Model how developing local energy systems can provide economic, environmental and social benefit for Oldham
Lock in community ownership of new energy infrastructure, policy and practices
Create a model for neighbourhood energy action planning that places people at the centre of decision making, ready to be rolled out by local authorities, communities and anchor organisations
Topics we discuss
History of the energy
Local places and people of value
Energy efficiency
Low carbon transport
Renewable energy
Local economy benefits of low carbon neighbourhoods (also known as Community Wealth Building)
Environmental benefits of low carbon neighbourhoods
Health benefits of low carbon neighbourhoods
Energy justice
Oldham Council hopes…
‘’In March 2020, Oldham Council adopted the UK’s first local authority Green New Deal Strategy. The strategy sets challenging carbon neutrality targets of 2025 for Council Buildings and Street Lighting, and 2030 for the borough as a whole. It sets out a range of initiatives and actions for the Council and partners but if we are to succeed in meeting these targets, it will be absolutely essential to engage residents. COVID19 has brought huge challenges when it comes to community engagement. OIdham Energy Futures brings an invaluable opportunity to develop new approaches which will enable our residents to not only have their say in how they want the low carbon transition to happen in their neighbourhoods, but to gain the skills and knowledge they need to take advantage of new employment and training opportunities in the growing low carbon economic sector, and work together with the Council and other anchor organisations to achieve our zero carbon ambition for the borough.”
Andy Hunt – Oldham Council
Read more about Oldham Council’s plans on their website.
