This is an opportunity to join other local residents to imagine and plan for a future where we come together to generate local energy, build resilience to power cuts, save money on bills, and share transport and healthy homes that don’t cost the earth.

The outcomes will be shared with Cornwall Council to inform the Local Area Energy Plan.

Cornwall Council have, in recent years, been putting together a Local Area Energy Plan for ending Cornwall’s reliance on fossil fuels – that’s oil, gas and coal. This is an important part of the Council’s response to the climate emergency.

The burning of fossil fuels is a main cause of global warming, whose impacts we are already seeing with the rise in extreme weather, flooding and wildfires, among other issues. Our reliance on fossil fuels also impacts our energy and food security through our reliance on imports, with areas such as the Middle East, Russia and the US being major fossil fuel producers. We’ve seen this in recent years through price hikes, and we may see this in the near future through shortages, for example, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the US attacks on Iran. So there are many advantages to reducing our use of energy derived from fossil fuels – and this community conversation will look at how we can do this collectively, at a local level.

A group known as Cornwall Climate Action Coalition meet regularly with Cornwall Council to support the Council in their actions on the climate emergency and nature recovery. Cornwall Climate Action Coalition have partnered with local groups across Cornwall to run a series of community conversations to sense check the Local Area Energy plan and begin its implementation. So far these have been held in Penzance, Truro and Saltash. This one in Falmouth is next.

Fal Energy Partnership is the local energy group supporting the community conversation in Falmouth – called. We’re a mainly volunteer-led group aiming to improve energy awareness in the local area (Penryn, Falmouth, and the surrounding villages), helping local residents to use less energy, and particularly less fossil-fuel based energy, and generate more local renewable energy. We’re always keen to hear from anyone who would like to get involved. You can find out more at https://www.falenergy.co.uk/, and get in touch through the Contact page on this website.

We’ll start with refreshments and a general welcome. Then we’ll have some short talks starting at 11:30, introducing the community conversation and the local area energy plan. Most of the event will then be small group discussions, where we’re keen to hear from people from all walks of life – not just energy specialists. While Cornwall Council have been developing the Local Area Energy Plan, they will need local residents to make it their own and help make it happen if it is to be a success, and everyone has something they can contribute to this.

The group discussions will each be centred on one of the six themes proposed in the Local Area Energy Plan, and you can choose which theme to focus on. There are four themes relating to energy demand – things that require energy, and how we can use less of this especially with regards to fossil fuel use. These are: 1. households, 2. industry, waste and agriculture, 3. transport, and 4. the public sector. There is then a fifth theme on energy supply – renewable energy and alternative fuels. And a sixth theme on investment, skills and supply chain – the kinds of resources we will need to make this happen.

Within each theme, we will focus firstly on our experiences of how things currently are, and then on our vision for the future – how we would like things to change, and what is needed to achieve this.

So, to repeat, this Local Energy Community Conversation will be held at the Dracaena Centre in Falmouth from 11-2 this coming Sunday 26th April. It’s free to attend, there’s no need to book, and there will be food. Simply join us as early as possible in the event, and by the end of the first hour, to ensure there is still food left and we have a seat left for you!