Brampton 2 Zero

Scene Connect Ltd

46A Constitution St

Edinburgh

EH6 6RS

Brampton 2 Zero

Low Carbon Options Appraisal

November 2022

Scene Document Reference: Brampton2Zero – Low Carbon Options Appraisal

Authors: Sandy Robinson, Dom Stephen, Alex Schlicke

Date: 18

November 2022

Document Revisions:

Version 1.0 Brampton2Zero – Interim Baseline Report (Draft for Comment)

Version 1.1 Brampton2Zero – Interim Baseline Report (Revised Draft for Comment)

Version 1.2 Brampton2Zero – Draft Final Report (Draft for Comment)

Version 1.21 Brampton2Zero – Draft Final Report (Final)

Scene Connect Ltd.

Address: 46A Constitution Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6RS, United Kingdom

Email: info@scene.community

Telephone: +44(0)131 603 8822

Website: www.scene.community

 
 
 
 

 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 6 
1.  Brampton Context ................................................................................................................. 6 
2.  Organisations ......................................................................................................................... 7 
 Planning & Environmental Baseline .................................................................. 9 
1.  National Context.................................................................................................................... 9 
2.  Local Plan – Development within Carlisle District ............................................................... 11 
3.  Local Developments ............................................................................................................ 12 
4.  Natural & Cultural Heritage ................................................................................................. 12 
5.  Local Electricity Network ..................................................................................................... 14 
 Baseline Energy Assessment ........................................................................... 16 
1.  Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 16 
2.  Energy Demand Assessment ............................................................................................... 17 
3.  Climate Change & Action in Brampton ............................................................................... 20 
 Technical Appraisal ......................................................................................... 22 
1.  Solar Photovoltaics .............................................................................................................. 22 
2.  Solar Cooperative Engagement ........................................................................................... 22 
3.  Solar Capacity Assessment .................................................................................................. 23 
4.  Solar PV Energy Modelling .................................................................................................. 26 
5.  Electric Vehicle (EV) Car Club .............................................................................................. 30 
 Financial Appraisal .......................................................................................... 33 
1.  Solar Co-operative ............................................................................................................... 33 
2.  Domestic Properties ............................................................................................................ 35 
3.  EV Car Club .......................................................................................................................... 36 
 Commercial & Governance ............................................................................. 38 
1.  Energy Cooperatives ............................................................................................................ 38 
2.  EV Car Clubs ......................................................................................................................... 41 
 Funding & Finance .......................................................................................... 43 
 Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 46 
1.  Solar Cooperative ................................................................................................................ 46 

8.2. EV Car Club .......................................................................................................................... 46

8.3. Project Roadmap ................................................................................................................. 47

Appendix A – Financial Details ................................................................................. 48

Appendix B – Technical Details ................................................................................. 50

Appendix C – Community Engagement .................................................................... 51

 
 
 
 
5 
 
FIGURES 
FIGURE 1.1 - MAP OF BRAMPTON PARISH AND THE BRAMPON CONSERVATION AREA.  7 
FIGURE 2.1 - MAP OF CULTURAL HERITAGE DESIGNATIONS WITHIN AND NEARBY BRAMPTON.  13 
FIGURE 2.2 - MAP OF NATURAL HERITAGE DESIGNATIONS WITH AND NEARBY BRAMPTON.  14 
FIGURE 2.3 - LOCATION OF NEAREST PRIMARY SUBSTATION TO BRAMPTON.  15 
FIGURE 3.1 – 25 NON-DOMESTIC BUILDINGS WITHIN AND AROUND BRAMPTON INCLUDED WITHIN THIS STUDY.  16 
FIGURE 3.2 – ENERGY DATA HIERARCHY  17 
FIGURE 3.3 – NON-DOMESTIC ELECTRICITY DEMAND IN BRAMPTON.  18 
FIGURE 3.4 - ANNUAL ELECTRICITY DEMAND PROFILE FOR NON-DOMESTIC PROPERTIES IN BRAMPTON  18 
FIGURE 3.5 – SURVEY RESPONDENT TYPES  20 
FIGURE 3.6 – SURVEY RESPONDENTS’ VIEWS ON CLIMATE CHANGE  20 
FIGURE 3.7 – RESPONDENTS' ACTIONS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE  21 
FIGURE 4.1 – LEVEL OF INTEREST IN A SOLAR PV COOPERATIVE IN BRAMPTON  23 
FIGURE 4.2 - A 165.75 KW ARRAY SIMULATED ON THE ROOFTOPS OF THE BUILDING 17.  25 
FIGURE 4.3 - A 30 KW ARRAY SIMULATED ON THE BUILDING 4  25 
FIGURE 4.4 - A 2.25 KW ARRAY SIMULATED ON THE ROOFTOP OF THE BUILDING 1.  25 
FIGURE 4.5 – AN EXAMPLE DOMESTIC ROOFTOP SOLAR PV ARRAY OF 3KW  29 
FIGURE 4.6 – SURVEY RESPONDENTS' INTEREST IN A BRAMPTON EV CAR CLUB  30 
FIGURE 4.7 – SURVEY RESPONDENTS' VIEWS ON HOW THEY WOULD USE AN EV CAR CLUB IN BRAMPTON  31 
FIGURE 4.8 – MAP OF EV CAR CLUB INTEREST IN BRAMPTON  32 
FIGURE 5.1 - CASHFLOW OUTCOMES FOR THE NON-DOMESTIC SOLAR PV COOPERATIVE.  33 
FIGURE 5.2 - CASHFLOW OUTCOMES FOR THE NON-DOMESTIC SOLAR PV COOPERATIVE WITH BATTERY STORAGE.  34 
FIGURE 5.3 – NET PRESENT VALUE FOR AN EV CAR CLUB OVER A 20-YEAR LIFETIME  37 
FIGURE 7.1 – REASONS FOR COMMUNITY SHARE INVESTMENT (COOPERATIVES UK, 2020)  44 
FIGURE 7.2 – SHARE / BOND OFFER JOURNEY  45 
TABLES 
TABLE 2.1 – RELEVANT POLICIES WITHIN THE CARLISLE DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN 2015 – 2030 ......................................... 11 
TABLE 2.2 - EXISTING PLANNING APPLICATIONS RELEVANT TO THIS LOW CARBON STUDY. ........................................... 12 
TABLE 2.3 – CULTURAL HERITAGE DESIGNATIONS WITHIN OR NEAR TO BRAMPTON. ................................................... 13 
TABLE 3.1 - DOMESTIC ELECTRICITY DEMAND DATA FOR THE PROPERTIES WITHIN BRAMPTON. .................................. 19 
TABLE 4.1 - LONGLIST OF 25 NON-DOMESTIC BUILDINGS WITHIN THE BRAMPTON STUDY ........................................... 24 
TABLE 4.2 - UNIT COSTS ASSUMED FOR SOLAR COOPERATIVE CAPITAL COST ESTIMATIONS. ........................................ 26 
TABLE 4.3 - OUTCOMES OF INITIAL SOLAR PV COOPERATIVE MODELLING, FOR EACH NON-DOMESTIC BUILDING. ...... 28 
TABLE 4.4 - ANNUAL OUTCOMES OF SUPPLYING A TYPICAL DOMESTIC PROPERTY WITH ROOFTOP SOLAR PANELS. .... 29 
TABLE 4.5 – EV CAR CLUB CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................... 31 
TABLE 5.1 - SOLAR VIABILITY FOR DOMESTIC PROPERTIES WITHIN BRAMPTON PARISH ................................................ 35 
TABLE 5.2 – EV CAR CLUB DEMAND ASSESSMENT AND TARIFFING STRUCTURE ............................................................. 36 
TABLE 5.3 – COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PROPOSED ANNUAL CAR CLUB COSTS AND CAR OWNERSHIP COSTS ..... 37 
TABLE 7.1 - FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOLAR PV AND EV INFRASTRUCTURE ......................................................... 44 
TABLE 0.1 – SOLAR PV COOPERATIVE ASSUMPTIONS & VARIABLES ................................................................................ 48 
TABLE 0.2 – EV CAR CLUB ASSUMPTIONS & VARIABLES .................................................................................................. 49 
TABLE 0.1 - ESTIMATED ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION AND CARBON EMISSIONS OF THE NON-DOMESTIC SITES ........... 50 
TABLE 0.1 - OVERVIEW OF STAKEHOLDER TYPES AND ACTIONS ...................................................................................... 51 
 
 

In 2022, Brampton 2 Zero (B2Z) secured funding through the UK Government Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF)

to undertake a low carbon feasibility study in Brampton, Cumbria. This study explores local options for low carbon

energy generation and mobility in the town, focusing particularly on the development of a solar PV cooperative

across public and private rooftops, as well as EV charging and a community car club for residents and visitors.

This study forms part of B2Z’s ambitions to:

1) Create a solar energy co-operative, to reduce the town’s reliance on fossil fuels, reduce associated carbon

emissions, meet the electricity needs of multiple non-domestic rooftops, and integrate with battery

storage and electric vehicles (EVs) where appropriate;

2) Establish an EV car club in Brampton, via the installation of EV chargers in Brampton, to provide accessible

mobility services for local community use, and integrated with solar generation and battery storage;

3) Develop a low carbon business case, to reduce residents’ and local businesses’ energy bills and to

generate income for low carbon development.

This study was undertaken between June and September 2022, comprising a baseline energy and financial

assessment of energy use, costs and carbon emissions in the town, technical and commercial modelling to assess

energy generation and low carbon mobility opportunities, and a commercial roadmap to guide the development

of viable options beyond the feasibility stage.

Further information, including graphical outputs, mapping and data resources can be found in the report

appendices.

Brampton is a small market town of around 4,600 people (UK Census, 2011), located 9 miles east of Carlisle in

Cumbria, in north west England (Figure 1.1). It is situated within the City of Carlisle District of Cumbria. The town

sits at the edge of the Hadrian’s Wall world heritage site (WHS) and has several historical listed properties within

the town centre, particularly the octagonal Moot Hall, built in 1817, which now houses the town’s Tourist

Information Centre, and St Martin’s Church, the only Pre-Raphaelite church containing a famous series of stained-

glass windows which were executed in the William Morris studio.

There are 2,105 households within Brampton Parish, with the majority centred on the town itself. The area has a

relatively high average age, with around 51% of residents over the age of 65. Employment within Brampton is

generally focused on the retail, health and social care, and education sectors, with many residents commuting

elsewhere (e.g., Carlisle) for jobs. The housing stock within Brampton is varied, including historic (and listed)

properties within the town’s core and larger private housing towards the fringes of the settlement, as well as

newer housing estates and social housing located across the town.

Brampton is passed by the A69 road, and the Brampton railway station is located about a mile southeast of the

town, near the village of Milton. Services within the town include a Co-operative supermarket, medical practice,

Brampton community centre, hotel, and numerous other B&Bs, cafés, restaurants, and convenience shops. The

Townfoot Industrial Estate is located to the west of the town centre, comprising a large number of varying business

and industrial unit types. There are two schools in Brampton – Brampton Primary School and the William Howard

secondary school.

Brampton benefits from its location close to the well-connected and visited city of Carlisle to the west, which is

located on the M6 corridor and the east-west motorway which spans to the northeast of England and the

southwest of Scotland. Larger towns nearby to Brampton are also easily accessed via public transport, with the

most regular bus services running to and from Carlisle and Newcastle, as well as from the main train station.

Within the relevant Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) for Brampton (Carlisle 002A, 002B, and 002C), UK

Government data recorded a total of 3,077 vehicles, comprising 2,486 cars, 144 motorcycles, and 447 listed as

‘other body types’, as of Q1 of 2022.

Between 18% of properties within the town are off gas grid, therefore using electricity or oil heating sources rather

than mains gas. This figure rises to 36% for properties outside of the town, in more rural areas. Fuel poverty rates

range between 8% (rural areas) to 11.5% (urban area), although these figures are expected to be much higher in

2022 due to increasing cost and volatility in electricity and heating fuel prices (Non-gas Map, 2022).

Brampton 2 Zero is one of several local environmental groups in Brampton: the Brampton and Beyond Community

Trust (BBCT) is a community-based development trust serving Brampton and the surrounding area. The

organisation has operated since 2010, working to develop local carbon energy schemes in the area, in particular

including a community-owned anaerobic digestion plant. BBCT aims to provide accessible, affordable, and

responsive services for local people and seeks to be self-financing. Furthermore, B2Z has a sister organisation,

Sustainable Brampton, which initiated the Brampton and Beyond Energy (BABE) group, which is planning a 500-

kW anaerobic biodigester in 2019 to support local heat, electricity, and fertiliser.

Parts of Brampton centre were designated a Conservation Area in 2003, described as "an area of special

architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance" and

which is included in Figure 1.1. This Area has implications for building regulations and planning permissions, among

others, for which additional scrutiny and considerations will be made before granting development proposals. Of

particular relevance to the ambitions of this project, permitted development rights for rooftop solar do not apply

within conservation areas.

Figure 1.1 - Map of Brampton Parish and the Brampon Conservation Area.

The following organisations are relevant to the study and have played a role in supporting and creating this report.

Brampton 2 Zero

Brampton 2 Zero is a Community Interest Company (CIC) set up to implement sustainable energy solutions and a

scheme for community land management in Brampton, Cumbria. Through their projects across community

woodland, home retrofits, solar panel installations, and electric vehicles, they aim to increase local biodiversity

and carbon sequestration and make Brampton a net carbon zero town. B2Z is working closely with local

educational institutions – including Brampton Primary School, Lanercost School, Irthington school, The William

Howard School, and Lancaster University – to develop interest and support for local low carbon projects

Rural Community Energy Fund

The Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) is a £10 million programme which supports rural communities in

England to develop renewable energy projects, which provide economic and social benefits to the community.

The RCEF is administrated by the North West Net Zero Hub and has provided funding for this heat network

feasibility study. The RCEF closed in April 2022 and is not expected to provide any further project funding to local

energy projects in 2022/23.

Scene

Scene Connect Ltd. (Scene) is a UK based social enterprise established in 2011 with the intention of furthering the

community energy sector. The organisation works with landowners, developers, and community groups to further

opportunities for a range of community developments, expanding from its initial focus on renewable energy,

through benefits packages, joint ventures, and wholly owned projects. Scene is the technical consultancy which

produced this feasibility study in partnership with B2Z.

A review of relevant environmental and planning policy and regulation in relation to low carbon development has

been carried out. The following reference sources are of relevance:

• The Climate Change Act 2008, (HM Government, 2008)

• Energy white paper: Powering our net zero future, (HM Government, 2020)

• Heat and Buildings Strategy, (HM Government, 2021)

• Carlisle District Local Plan (2015-2030)

• The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations (2016)

There are a number of relevant UK Government policies and strategies which underpin the UK’s ambitions and

progress in relation to energy and carbon. Brampton’s low carbon ambitions fall within the aims of these policies,

meaning that any associated development proposals are expected to start with a presumption of support from a

planning policy point of view. Further information on the specifics of local planning is provided in Section 2.2.

Climate Change

The UK is a leading country in terms of climate change policy and action. It has made considerable progress,

reducing emissions by 48% on 1990 levels, including a reduction of 3% between 2018 – 2019 (CCC, 2019). This has

largely been driven by renewable power deployment and a large reduction in coal use. The UK also benefits from

a strong policy framework for climate commitments in the form of the Climate Change Act (2008).

Energy Policy

The Energy Security Strategy was published in April 2022 in the context of increasing climate change concern, the

UK cost of living crisis and Russian invasion of Ukraine. The policy reviews the UK Government’s energy strategy,

providing an approach to meeting low carbon targets whilst reducing reliance on international fossil fuel imports,

including oil and gas. The strategy sets out an ambition for 95% of the UK’s electricity to come from low carbon

sources by 2030, ahead of a complete decarbonisation target in 2035.

Zero emission vehicles

In November 2020, the UK government announced a commitment to end the sale of new internal petrol and diesel

vehicles by 2030, and that all new cars and vans will be required to be fully zero emission at the tailpipe by 2035.

More than 10% vehicles sold in 2020, and 25% in 2021 were zero or ultra-low emission vehicles. In 2019 the figure

was less than 2%. Although the expectation is that the majority of drivers will do most of their charging at home,

a public charge point infrastructure is required to support longer distance journeys and those without off-street

parking. By 2030, the Government expects "around 300,000 public charge points as a minimum in the UK, but

there could potentially be more than double that number"

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

In respect to energy development, there are a number of important sections within the NPPF which are laid out

below. Whilst these sections provide the justification, guidance and policy base for energy planning, all sections

of the NPPF must be considered in respect to any planned development.

It addresses topics that are relevant to the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of development

proposals, including but not limited to:

• 2. Sustainable Development states that, ‘at the heart of the Framework is a presumption in favour of

sustainable development,’ meaning development plans should seek to promote development which meet

HM Government Electric Vehicle infrastructure strategy

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1065576/taking-

charge-the-electric-vehicle-infrastructure-strategy.pdf

the development needs of their area; align growth and infrastructure; improve the environment; mitigate

climate change; and adapt to its effects.

• 9. Promoting Sustainable Transport states that ‘the environmental impacts of traffic and transport

infrastructure should be identified, assessed and taken into account,’ in local planning. It highlights that

new development should be designed to enable charging of plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles

in safe, accessible, and convenient locations.

• 11. Making Effective Use of Land states that ‘Local planning authorities, and other plan-making bodies,

should take a proactive role in identifying and helping to bring forward land that may be suitable for

meeting development needs,’ which includes identifying opportunities for development, as considered

within this study.

• 12. Achieving well-designed places, highlights the need to remain sympathetic to local character and

history (including built environment and landscape setting), whilst optimising the scale and extents of

development. Where available, development must follow local design guides or the national design guide

and code in their absence.

Solar PV Array Development

Part 14 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 provides details

regarding the development constraints and conditions for the development of solar equipment. In general,

developments are assumed to be permitted on residential homes and blocks of flats, except when the proposed

solar array does not meet the requirements of size, spacing, and natural or cultural heritage constraints. The

document should be consulted thoroughly before a development application is considered.

Within the Brampton context there are few situations where solar PV would not be considered a permitted

development, in particular for listed properties and where rooftops are clearly visible from the nearby world

heritage site. There are also additional development constraints relevant to solar panel placement lie within the

Brampton Conservation Area, where solar panels should be situated in a way that reduces impact on the nature,

look and feel of the town. This often requires placement of panels facing away from roadways and public-facing

orientations.

This impacts particularly on domestic properties within the conservation area and several non-domestic properties

in this study.

EV Charging

Part 2 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 provides details

around the development conditions for installing both wall-mounted and upstanding electric vehicle charging

points. It states that planning permission is not required for the installation of either a wall mounted or upstanding

electrical outlet for recharging of electric vehicles as long as the area(s) is lawfully used for off–street parking. This

includes factors such as distance from a highway and parking space, dimensions of the charging unit, and relative

location to any scheduled monuments or listed buildings. The document should be consulted thoroughly before a

development application is considered.

Brampton is included within the City of Carlisle’s district ward and development jurisdiction, and therefore covered

by the policies and ambitions set forth in the Carlisle District Local Plan 2015-2030. The Local Plan outlines several

strategic objectives which themselves include multiple policy aims. Those most relevant to this low carbon study

in Brampton are outlined in Table 2.1, below.

Relevant

Strategic

Objectives

Relevant Policies

Relevant Sections

Spatial Strategy

and Strategic

Policies

SP1: Sustainable

Development

SP8: Green and

Blue Infrastructure

“To contribute to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and

historic environment (including improving biodiversity), using

natural resources prudently, minimising waste and pollution, and

mitigating and adapting to climate change including moving to a

low carbon economy.”

Infrastructure

IP 1: Delivering

Infrastructure

IP 2: Transport and

Development

“Developers will be encouraged to include sustainable vehicle

technology such as electric vehicle charging points within

proposals.”

Climate Change

and Flood Risk

CC 1: Renewable

Energy

CC 2: Energy from

Wind

CC 3: Energy

Conservation,

Efficiency and

Resilience

“Proposals for renewable energy development will be supported

where they can demonstrate, through identifying and thoroughly

appraising any potential individual and cumulative effects, that any

associated impacts are or can be made acceptable.”

“It should be noted that within Carlisle District there are a number

of additional landscape and functional constraints that may limit

renewable energy development in certain locations…”

Health,

Education and

Community

CM 3: Sustaining

Community

Facilities and

Services

CM 5:

Environmental and

Amenity Protection

“Planning has a social role to play in supporting strong, vibrant and

healthy communities, by ensuring there are accessible local

services that reflect the community’s needs and support its health,

social and cultural wellbeing”

Green

Infrastructure

GI 1: Landscapes

“The aim of the policy framework is to protect and enhance green

infrastructure assets and the functions they perform, ultimately

for the sake of their own natural value, but also through

recognition of the many wider social and economic benefits they

perform, including: the opportunities they present for positively

improving the health and wellbeing of the population; for

sustainable travel; for mitigating and adapting to climate change

and for their amenity value.”

Table 2.1 – Relevant policies within the Carlisle District Local Plan 2015 – 2030

Existing or planned local developments within or around Brampton may have an impact on the likelihood of future

energy developments securing planning permission. This may include future limitations on local infrastructure,

visual impact, among others, or may be an opportunity in terms of impact and cost reduction.

Relevant local planning applications and their status within Brampton, found through Carlisle City Council’s

Planning Portal are detailed in Table 2.2. There are no large applications currently in planning which affect possible

low carbon development within Brampton resulting from this study, but it is reasonable to expect that the EIA

Screening for the solar farm at Leaps Rigg will progress to a full application in due course.

Application title

Address

Application Ref No.

Decision/Status

Installation Of Solar Panels

to Southern Roof Elevation

Blacksmiths Barn,

Lanercost, Brampton,

CA8 2HG

21/0953

Grant Permission

Replacing Existing 15

Diesel Generators with

New Low Carbon Battery

Energy Storage System

Within Existing Fenced

Compound

Capon Generation

Compound, Capon Tree

Road, Brampton,

Carlisle, CA8 1QW

21/0626

Grant Permission

Request For an EIA

Screening Opinion for

Development of Solar

Farm (49,90 MW, 88.0 ha)

Leaps Rigg, Walton,

Brampton, CA8 2DZ

21/0004/ESO

Response – proposal

not likely to have

significant effects on

the environment.

Table 2.2 - Existing planning applications relevant to this low carbon study.

Natural and cultural heritage issues must be addressed to satisfy the local planning authority and to avoid or

minimise any negative impacts of low carbon implementation and installation on natural and cultural assets within

Brampton.

Cultural Heritage

A preliminary assessment of cultural heritage designations has been undertaken of locally and nationally

designated sites within and near to Brampton, presented in Table 2.3 and in Figure 2.1 . These designations may

have an impact on the development of renewable electricity assets (solar PV, wind turbine) or heat infrastructure,

including generation infrastructure, supply routes and internal works (e.g., energy efficiency measures).

Designation

Name/Description

World Heritage Site

Brampton is situated on the edge of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site (WHS),

which runs along the northern edge of the town.

Scheduled Monument

There is 1 Scheduled Monument in Brampton town centre, the Mote castle mound

and site of late medieval beacon.

Designation

Name/Description

Outside the western edge of Brampton’s centre, there are a further 5 scheduled

monuments.

Listed Buildings

There are 54 Listed Buildings within and around Brampton’s town centre.

Of these, 1 is Grade I listed (Church House), 52 are Grade II listed, and 1 is Grade II*

Listed (Moot Hall).

Conservation Area

Since 2003, parts of Brampton have been designated as a Conservation Area,

providing additional development and planning protection to buildings, trees, and

land within the Area.

Table 2.3 – Cultural heritage designations within or near to Brampton.

Figure 2.1 - Map of cultural heritage designations within and nearby Brampton.

Natural Heritage

Brampton is situated 2km away from a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) – including the River

Eden and Tributaries (SSSI ID: 8540), the Unity Bog (SSSI ID: 4764), and the Gelt Woods (SSSI ID: 1900). The town

centre is not within or overlapping with any Green Belt, Nature Reserves, or Environmentally Protected Areas.

Figure 2.2 provides an overview of local designations.

Proposed developments in the north of the town, closer to the World Heritage Site, may be expected to be more

restricted than elsewhere.

As both Solar PV and EV charging infrastructure are permitted development (GDPO, 2015), it is unlikely that

problems would occur in relation to any of the designations noted above. The most likely constraint is expected

to be the positioning of solar PV panels to face away from, or be restricted in views from, the WHS. Due to the

fact that the WHS is to the north of the town and the preference for south facing solar PV panels, this is unlikely

to be an issue for the proposed development.

Figure 2.2 - Map of natural heritage designations with and nearby Brampton.

A review of the local electricity network is necessary to understand the renewable electricity generation and

connection potential within and around Brampton, which is serviced by the local Distribution Network Operator

(DNO), Electricity North West (ENW).

ENW’s network capacity heatmap shows that the closest primary substation for potential future connection is

around 1.4km from the centre of Brampton, just south of the Brampton Bypass (Figure 2.3). It is a 33 kV / 11 kV

substation, named ‘Capontree’ with significant headroom and connectivity potential for new sources of both

demand and generation (Figure 2.1Figure 2.3). A more detailed phone call with ENW’s Low Carbon Connections

Advisor noted that a grid connection assessment for solar PV and EV chargers would be required on a per-site

basis, to ensure that the expected voltage rise and transformer capacity are suitable to support such new

connections. ENW would fund the cost of additional connections required for domestic properties but not for

commercial sites.

Local use of energy is the preferred option in nearly all instances, as it offsets high energy costs on site. Export to

the national grid will be assessed in regard to larger scales of generation as well as excess generation after local

energy demand has been satisfied.

The expected cost of any new local grid connections will be provided by ENW following a grid connection

application for the project. Our discussions with ENW found that a single application comprising the multiple sites

would be acceptable, though likely requiring longer review time than timeframes specified for standard single-site

applications. Before submitting the application, a pre-application meeting can be arranged with ENW’s

engagement team to discuss the details of the application requirements, client expectations, and expected

turnaround time. Expected connection costs are not known until ENW’s technical assessment has been completed.

Figure 2.3 - Location of nearest primary substation to Brampton.

This chapter provides an overview of the current energy situation across key sites of interest within Brampton,

including both electricity and heating. This baseline energy information is a critical building block in understanding

the low carbon energy options available to Brampton and the associated economic, social, and environmental

impacts.

The electricity demand from the 25 sites listed below are those considered within this baseline assessment (Table

3.1), to be enable scaling of solar PV generation options and EV charging locations. Sites were selected based on

level of interest demonstrated by owners / tenants and suitability of buildings for solar PV generation.

Further to this, aggregate energy demand across all domestic properties has been highlighted in Table 3.1.

Individual solar PV assessments have not been conducted for any residential sites due to the high number of

properties.

Figure 3.1 – 25 non-domestic buildings within and around Brampton included within this study.

Energy data from these sites was collected through correspondence with relevant property owners, council

members, and other representatives of Brampton throughout July and August 2022 via email and online video

calls. This data included:

• Spatial and planning information, such as site maps, building plans, and planning proposals;

• Energy and technical data, such as energy consumption, fuel use, and building Energy Performance

Certificates (EPCs);

• Building and land use types;

• Times of use.

An initial site visit was conducted by Scene in June 2022.

A hierarchy of data sources was used to ensure the greatest level of detail and accuracy possible, whilst ensuring

the full coverage of relevant assets required to form an accurate energy baseline (Figure 3.2). Where real and

reliable data (smart metering, energy billing) was not available, prior EPC data has been used and applied to

standardised domestic and non-domestic energy demand profiles to generate demand profiles. Where EPCs are

unavailable or out of date, energy modelling based on building size, type, age, and use was used to generate

demand profiles. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting typical energy profiles over 2020 – 2021, a preference

for 2019 (pre-pandemic) data was used in this study.

Figure 3.2 – Energy Data Hierarchy

Energy consumption data for the majority of the relevant buildings was provided in the form of monthly energy

bills per site between 2019 and 2022. To this monthly and annual energy demand dataset, a series of hour-by-

hour energy use profiles was able to be applied, suited to each building type and times of use. This process was

also supported by the client, who gave details on visitor and staff numbers, opening and closing times of the

various sites, and any relevant holidays, to inform a more accurate energy use profile of sites across the year.

Total baseline energy demand across the 25 sites amounts to 3,156 MWh per year, with an estimated further

8,951 MWh per year of electricity demand across domestic properties within Brampton.

Figure 3.3 provides an overview of non-domestic electricity demand across properties in Brampton. This

demonstrates that there are several properties with very high usage – including the William Howard School and

Make-Believe Ideas. Further to this, there is a concentration of high demand properties on the Townfoot Estate,

west of the town.

Figure 3.4 provides an overview of total energy electricity demand for the non-domestic properties in this study

within Brampton over a typical year. The profile demonstrates peak demand loads in the winter months and lower

demand throughout the summer and autumn months. This variance in heating energy demand is predominantly

due to use of electric sources of light and heating within those properties used more often during the winter

months, including electric heating systems and fireplaces, portable radiators, electric blankets, and evening lamps.

Metering and billing data was provided for 4 properties, with EPC and / or CIBSE benchmarking utilised to

understand electrical loads at wider non-domestic properties in Brampton. Understanding of exact electricity

demand, via energy metering or billing, is necessary to fully understand the case for a solar PV cooperative in

Brampton. Further detail on non-domestic property electricity demand and carbon emissions can be found in

Appendix B.

Smart metering

(Half Hourly)

Energy / Fuel

Billing (Annual)

Partial Energy /

Fuel Billing

(monthly)

Energy

Performance

Certificates

(EPC)

Energy Profiling

Benchmarking

Figure 3.3 – Non-domestic electricity demand in Brampton.

Figure 3.4 - Annual electricity demand profile for non-domestic properties in Brampton

Whilst non-domestic properties form the core of this study, both in terms of understanding demand and as

potential solar cooperative members, an understanding of local domestic demand may enable a greater number

of lower demand cooperative members.

In total, there are 2,296 properties in Brampton, therefore a full appraisal of electricity demand is not feasible

with real world data. Using average electricity demand values and profiles for the North West of the UK, it is

projected that domestic properties use ~8,908 MWh of electricity a year. This is significantly greater than the total

non-domestic demand in Brampton and demonstrates the scale of the opportunity for aggregating domestic

properties within a solar PV cooperative.

Based on an average solar PV installation size of 4kWp, these properties have a combined solar PV capacity

potential of 9.2 MW. In reality, only a moderate proportion of properties will be able to install solar PV: from

excluding those with existing solar PV arrays, unsuitable orientations, a lack of interest, siting within the Brampton

Conservation Area, or other development constraints. Further scenario analysis of potential domestic solar PV

capacity and generation is provided in Chapter 4.

Domestic Energy Demand and Emissions

Total number of households

2,296

Average annual domestic electricity

consumption

3,880 kWh

Total domestic electricity consumption,

per year

8,908,480 kWh

(8,908 MWh)

Total CO

e emissions, per home

76.7 tCO

Potential domestic solar PV array scale

9,184 kWp

Based on an average installed capacity of 4kW per household

Table 3.1 - Domestic electricity demand data for the properties within Brampton.

3.2.1. Carbon Emissions

Total annual carbon emissions resulting from electricity generation across all sites was calculated using an

electricity carbon factor of 0.19338 kg CO

e per kWh of grid electricity assumed, and a gas carbon factor of 0.180

kg CO

e per kWh of natural gas consumed. Both figures are provided by the UK Government’s Greenhouse gas

reporting: conversion factors data for 2022.

Using these assumptions, total carbon emissions from the 25 sites within the study amounts to 610 tCO

e per

year. Brampton’s 2,296 domestic properties contribute a further 1,731 tCO

e, bringing the total carbon emissions

throughout Brampton to 2,341 tCO

Demand and emissions figures only account for electricity consumption across the properties. Heat consumption

within Brampton is primarily from the gas grid, with around 18% of households using alternative heating fuels

such as oil and wood logs, both of which have a significantly higher carbon emissions factor than gas.

Low carbon projects are often underpinned by

ambitions to address the ongoing climate

emergency, whether through reducing emissions

or adapting to future climatic conditions. Whilst

the financial case for low carbon projects is

essential, environmental metrics (e.g., carbon

emissions reduction) can provide a justification

even when the financial case is marginal.

Part of the Brampton community energy survey

focused on locals’ views in relation to climate

change and the actions undertaken by residents

to address the climate emergency. details

respondent types across the 180 surveys received,

with 95% of respondents Brampton residents and

/ or business owners.

Figure 3.5 – Survey respondent types

Figure 3.6 demonstrates a high level of concern in relation to the climate emergency in Brampton, with 94% of

respondents stating they are "concerned" about climate change, and 55% as "very concerned" within that number.

90% of respondents noted that they take action to tackle climate change, including:

• Reduce carbon impacts through dietary change, including consuming seasonal vegetables, less meat, and

less dairy products;

• Limit of single use plastic purchases;

• Use low carbon energy supplier and investing in home energy efficiency;

• Create greenspaces at home;

• Having fewer children;

• Buy second hand products, including clothes; or

• Limit driving and air travel.

95% of respondents also noted that they are willing to take one or more of the above actions to address climate

change in future. On average, 8% of respondents stated that they are unwilling to undertake the actions stated

above. The questions posed were aligned with a national YouGov poll issued in 2022, demonstrating that

Brampton residents have a greater awareness of, and are willing to undertake greater actions to address, climate

change.

Figure 3.6 – Survey respondents’ views on climate change

Figure 3.7 – Respondents' actions to address climate change

The above survey responses and analysis demonstrate that there is a large appetite for climate action in Brampton.

In particular, respondents noted an interest in activities which can be actioned at a local level – including

greenspace improvements, home energy efficiency, energy switching, and sustainable consumption. Community

energy organisations, such as Brampton2Zero, are particularly suited to supporting and enabling such activities. A

solar PV cooperative in Brampton would fulfil some of the demand for, and ambitions surrounding, low carbon

energy in Brampton. Similarly, an EV car club would help residents to address travel impacts and provide a simple

route for those interested in electric vehicles to reduce their own transport emissions.

It is important to note that surveys of this type may not be reflective of the entirety of the Brampton community.

Both respondent biases, where those with an interested in climate change and low carbon energy are more likely

to respond, and wider biases, such as time availability, internet access, and language, all play a role in defining

survey respondent types. Further information resulting from the survey can be found throughout this report and

in Appendix C.

This section presents the results from the technical, energy and environmental modelling of a simulated solar PV

cooperative across multiple buildings in Brampton. It details solar PV options, opportunities, and constraints for

non-domestic and domestic rooftop solar PV installations.

Solar PV (Solar Photovoltaics) is the generation of electricity using energy from the sun. Modern solar panels

produce electricity from daylight and do not require direct sunlight, although more electricity is produced on

bright, sunny days.

Enough sunlight falls onto the earth every hour to meet the

world’s power demands for an entire year, so harnessing and

using this free energy can help reduce our reliance on other

sources of energy and be beneficial to the environment as well.

By installing Solar PV panels, you can produce free, green

energy for your home or business. Solar PV panels are normally

mounted on the roof of your building although they can also be

placed on the ground when a suitable roof is not available. A

device called an inverter changes the DC electricity produced

by the panels into ‘useable’ electricity that can then be used to

power appliances in your home or can be fed back into the

National Grid. Solar PV panels contain no moving parts, are low

maintenance and roof mounted systems will typically be

adequately cleaned by rainfall.

In the UK energy market, domestic and non-domestic solar PV arrays are frequently installed across the country.

Demand for solar installations has increased dramatically in 2021 / 22 due to dramatic increases in electricity

prices. The cost of solar PV is generally on a decreasing trend, as panel performance increases and production

costs decrease. Supply chain issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and increased demand has led to short

term increases in solar PV costs and material availability.

Within the Carlisle City Council area there are 341 domestic solar PV installations per 10,000 households, totalling

6.2 MWp of solar generation capacity, with a further 2.7 MW of non-domestic solar installations in the region.

Solar PV is by far the most dominant small-scale generation technology, comprising 59% of all small-scale

renewable energy generation.

Critical to the success of a solar cooperative model is the sign up of properties and locations to install solar panels

and arrays. This may be non-domestic or domestic rooftops or land where ground-mounted arrays may be

installed.

During the course of this feaisblity study, engagement with both non-domestic and domestic property owners has

demonstrated a keen interest in a solar cooperative approach in Brampton, as well as helping to identify a large

number of potential sites for devleopment. Figure 4.1 details responses from the community survey, showing that

over 100 residents were intersted in developing solar on their rooftop or land, with a further 40 respondents

unable to commit to solar PV installation but willing to invest in a local solar PV cooperative.

Qualitative responses to the survey demonstrated a wide range of reasons for a lack of interest, including:

• Respondents who did not feel solar PV was viable on their properties as they sit within the Brmapton

Conservation Zone;

• Respondents who are interested but unsure of the cooperative model and what the benefits to them

individually might be;

• Respondents with previous experience with solar PV rooftop leases concerned about negative impacts on

future property sales and mortgages;

• Respondents who felt that solar PV was not a suitable route forward for Brampton due to a preference

for wind energy, a lack of belief in renewable technologies, and a perception that the carbon emitted

during manufacture is greater than carbon saved through operation.

It is clear that there is a strong investor and participant interested in a solar cooperative in Brampton but further

engagement is required to detail the business model and benefits to local people.

Figure 4.1 – Level of interest in a Solar PV Cooperative in Brampton

An assessment of potential solar generation was carried out across non-domestic sites in Brampton and compared

against electricity demand profiles to explore possible cost and carbon savings for non-domestic sites and project

as a whole. Industry standard PV*SOL Premium 2021 software was used for the solar assessment, producing hourly

solar generation figures.

Assessment against energy demand profiles is an important process as it demonstrates how much electricity can

be used locally, therefore reducing high-cost energy bills (£0.28 – 0.40 / kWh). This is a preference to energy export

to the electricity grid, which offers comparatively low-income generation potential (£0.05 – 0.20 / kWh).

Throughout this study, energy bill savings through local energy use is preferred to grid export.

Table 4.1 below details the rooftops included within the solar assessment, and the potential solar capacity and

generation output of each site. Total estimated solar capacity is 1.31 MWp solar PV, producing 1,069 MWh of

solar generation per year.

Sites such as the Building 7, Building 10, Building 14, Building 17, among others, are considered as priority sites for

high potential solar generation, given their suitable rooftops and sufficient baseline demand to yield significant

cost and carbon savings.

Conversely, Unit 3 of the Townfoot Industrial Estate and Building 1 are considered particularly poor candidates for

solar generation. This is due either to the orientation and spatial characteristics of their rooftops or because their

baseline energy demand is unlikely to be great enough to derive significant cost or carbon savings.

Finally, the Stalker’s Transport Services building within the Industrial Estate already hosts a significant existing

solar array, and so was excluded from the study. Figure 4.2 - Figure 4.4 provide examples of rooftop solar arrays

as simulated within PV*SOL software.

Site Name

Solar Capacity

(kW)

PV Generation

(kWh/year)

Building 1

2.25

2,025

Building 2

13.5

12,394

Building 3

81.00

69,810

Building 4

30.00

27,726

Building 5

42.00

36,896

Building 6

11.25

9,429

Building 7

94.24

77,846

Building 8

43.5

33,620

Building 9

12.75

8,329

Building 10

249.75

181,199

Building 11

Building 12

6.38

16,310

Building 13

48.75

33,968

Building 14

97.88

85,288

Building 15

90.00

71,954

Building 16

65.63

50,656

Building 17

165.75

142,062

Building 18

31.5

27,911

Building 19

51,012

Building 20

40.13

32,728

Building 21

22.5

18,810

Building 22

31.5

28,383

Building 23

10.13

9,182

Building 24

22.5

9,182

Building 25

36.0

32,782

Totals

1.31 MW

1,069 MWh

Table 4.1 - Longlist of 25 non-domestic buildings within the Brampton study

Figure 4.2 - A 165.75 kW array simulated on the rooftops of the Building 17.

Figure 4.3 - A 30 kW array simulated on the Building 4

Figure 4.4 - A 2.25 kW array simulated on the rooftop of the Building 1.

To understand how each building’s solar PV capacity potential can provide energy and environmental benefits,

building-by-building energy modelling was undertaken to assess levels of local electricity use, export, and the

benefits of integrating electricity storage.

4.4.1. Modelling Assumptions

The potential solar cooperative comprises a total of up to 25 non-domestic buildings, including educational,

industrial, retail, and healthcare sites. A variable number of domestic residences within Brampton is also included

within the model, to simulate the possible inclusion and outcomes of residential homes within the cooperative

also. The model uses the properties’ electricity bills where available, and otherwise EPC and floor area

measurements, compared against simulated solar generation produced through the PV*SOL software described

in the previous chapter.

Electricity Prices & Tariffs

Where instantaneous electricity demand is met by solar generation, for each hour of a typical year, an electricity

cost saving is assumed, equivalent to the current unit cost of electricity at the particular site. An electricity tariff

of £0.40/kWh has been assumed across all properties in line with the 2022/23 energy price cap and through

conversations with property owners.

Where solar PV generation exceeds demand, excess electricity is modelled as exported to the electricity grid with

a typical Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rate paid to the cooperative. While typical SEG rates are up to 0.12p / kWh

exported for individual properties, a solar cooperative comprising multiple sites could be able to negotiate a Power

Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a supplier. A PPA rate of £0.185 / kWh has been assumed within the model, based

on recent projects and rates secured by Scene.

Existing solar cooperative examples in the UK utilise lease agreements with building owners typically including a

PPA for the direct supply, where a price is agreed per kWh for use of electricity generated by the cooperative’s

solar PV array. Within all modelling it is assumed that building owners / tenants would pay a set £0.20 / kWh for

all electricity consumed from solar cooperative energy infrastructure (i.e., solar PV or battery storage). Given this

provides a substantial saving to energy bills, it is assumed there would be no cost paid to the building owner for

the rooftop rental. A different model could be required if the building owner and bill payer are different.

Carbon Emissions

Based on the UK Government’s latest Conversion factors for company reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, a

value of 0.193 kg CO2e (carbon dioxide emissions equivalent) per kWh used/avoided has been assumed.

Capital (CAPEX) and Operating (OPEX) Costs

Solar PV cost data from 2021/22 published by the UK Government (BEIS, 2021) has been used to model capital

costs for the solar arrays. These costs are provided for multiple scales of the solar installation (Table 4.2).

Further information on all assumptions made within this study can be found in Appendix A.

Battery Storage

Battery storage has been modelled to enable greater local use of electricity within the solar cooperative scenario.

Battery storage modelling assumes a 40% increase in local use of electricity, and therefore greater energy bills

savings.

Installation scale (kW)

Median £/kW installed

0-4

£1,618

4-10

£1,531

10-50

£1,016

Table 4.2 - Unit costs assumed for solar cooperative capital cost estimations.

4.4.2. Non-domestic Modelling

Table 4.3 below details the solar capacity, cost and carbon savings, and estimated capital costs for each of the

non-domestic properties included within the modelled cooperative.

Notable properties include the Building 5 / 6, Building 7, Building 12, and Building 13, meeting around 40% of their

annual electricity demand through solar generation. Building 1 and Building 18, on the other hand, have relatively

high demand compared to their low solar potential, and represent poor opportunities.

Particular consideration should be given to those sites within the Brampton Conservation Area (BCA in the table)

- namely, Building 1, Building 2, Building 3, Building 4, Building 20, and Building 21 - for which solar development

may be more difficult to gain approval.

Solar PV Technical and Financial Overview

Property

Solar PV

capacity

kW TIC

Demand met

by solar

(% of demand)

kWh/year

Electricity

cost

savings

£/year

Export

income

£/year

Carbon

savings

tCO

e/year

Estimated

cost

BCA

Building 1

2.3

2,025 (1%)

£810

£0

0.4

£3,641

Yes

Building 2

13.5

10,383 (18%)

£4,153

£372

2.0

£13,716

Yes

Building 3

81.0

23,640 (25%)

£9,456

£8,542

4.6

£82,296

Yes

Building 4

30.0

22,943 (19%)

£9,177

£885

4.4

£30,480

Yes

Building 5

42.0

8,102 (37%)

£3,241

£5,327

1.6

£42,672

Building 6

11.3

1,343 (39%)

£537

£1,496

0.3

£11,430

Building 7

43.5

19,365 (22%)

£7,746

£2,637

3.7

£44,196

Building 8

94.2

35,586 (41%)

£14,234

£7,818

6.9

£95,748

Building 9

12.8

5,099 (34%)

£2,039

£598

1.0

£12,954

Building 10

249.8

164,285 (23%)

£65,714

£3,129

31.7

£253,746

Building 11

6.4

9,243 (36%)

£3,697

£1,307

1.8

£9,768

Building 12

48.8

11,422 (36%)

£4,569

£4,171

2.2

£49,530

Building 13

97.9

34,130 (24%)

£13,652

£9,464

6.6

£99,446

Building 14

90.0

18,429 (28%)

£7,372

£9,902

3.6

£91,440

Building 15

32.8

4,300 (31%)

£1,720

£3,890

0.8

£33,340

Building 16

32.8

4,300 (31%)

£1,720

£3,890

0.8

£33,340

Building 17

165.8

58,341 (25%)

£23,336

£15,489

11.3

£168,402

Solar PV Technical and Financial Overview

Property

Solar PV

capacity

kW TIC

Demand met

by solar

(% of demand)

kWh/year

Electricity

cost

savings

£/year

Export

income

£/year

Carbon

savings

tCO

e/year

Estimated

cost

BCA

Building 18

31.5

27,557 (4%)

£11,023

£66

5.3

£32,004

Building 19

57.0

36,159 (16%)

£14,464

£2,748

7.0

£57,912

Building 20

40.1

25,178 (30%)

£10,071

£1,397

4.9

£40,772

Yes

Building 21

22.5

18,751 (16%)

£7,500

£11

3.6

£22,860

Yes

Building 22

31.5

14,252 (22%)

£5,701

£2,614

2.8

£32,004

Building 23

10.1

4,555 (22%)

£1,822

£856

0.9

£10,292

Building 24

22.5

9,422 (21%)

£3,769

£1,787

1.8

£22,860

Building 25

36.0

12,330 (25%)

£4,932

£3,784

2.4

£36,576

Totals

1,306

581,138 (18%)

£232,455

£92,182

112.2

£1,331,424

Table 4.3 - Outcomes of initial solar PV cooperative modelling, for each non-domestic building.

4.4.3. Domestic Modelling

According to UK Government data on domestic meter numbers within the relevant Lower Layer Super Output

Areas (LSOAs), there are 2,296 domestic properties in Brampton as of 2020. Domestic modelling assumes an

average electricity consumption of 3901.7 kWh per year, based on subnational electricity consumption statistics

data for 2020 and applies a typical domestic electricity use profile from Ofgem to plot this energy consumption

for every hour of a typical year.

A conservative estimate of 3 kW of rooftop solar was assumed for a typical household (Figure 4.5), comprising 8

modules of 375W solar PV panels. A system of this scale would generate a total of 2,717 kWh solar energy per

year in Brampton. As with the non-domestic properties, this was then compared with hourly energy demand to

estimate electricity cost saving, export income, and carbon savings (Table 4.4).

Due to a combination of rooftop size, orientation, shading, and the Brampton Conservation Area, not all the 2,296

houses will be viable for rooftop solar panels.

Further scenario analysis of the technical and financial viability of including domestic properties in a solar

cooperative can be found in Section 5.

Solar PV performance for an average domestic property in Brampton

Electricity demand (kWh/year)

3,902

Solar PV generation (kWh/year)

2,717

Demand met by solar (kWh/year) (%)

997 (26%)

Electricity cost savings (£/year)

£399

Export income (£/year)

£318

Carbon emissions savings (tCO

e/year)

0.2

Table 4.4 - Annual outcomes of supplying a typical domestic property with rooftop solar panels.

Figure 4.5 – An example domestic rooftop solar PV array of 3kW

This section provides a technical assessment of EV car club options and opportunities in Brampton. Understanding

the level of local demand for a car club, establishing potential locations for car club infrastructure (i.e., vehicles

and chargers), and optimising proposals to meet estimated levels of demand are important steps in developing an

EV car club.

There are two options presented:

1. An EV car club owned and operated by a community organisation in Brampton.

2. An EV car club operated by a commercial operator in Brampton.

All variables and assumptions used within this assessment are detailed in Appendix A.

4.5.1. Demand Assessment

The community survey conducted in June 2022 provided initial information on levels of interest in an EV car club

in Brampton. Of the 180 respondents, 110 showed some level of interest in participating in a car club.

Primary reasons for interest included those currently without access to vehicles and reliant on inconsistent public

transport, those interested in buying an EV but unable to afford one currently, and those looking to get rid of a

second car on both cost and environmental reasons.

Those uninterested stated a lack of understanding of the business model to be used, costs compared to ICE

vehicles, expected inability to use the car club due to distance from Brampton town centre, and a lack of

confidence in car club operation and EVs in general.

Figure 4.6 – Survey respondents' interest in a Brampton EV Car Club

Respondents stated how they were most likely to use an EV car club, with the greatest number of respondents

suggesting infrequent use – one to two times a month – was the most likely scenario for them. This data was input

into the demand assessment to provide a weighted annual distance assessment for typical user types (Figure 4.7).

Respondents were further asked their views on possible tariffing structures. In general, respondents requested a

daily tariff of <£10, highlighting the high costs of other car clubs (e.g., Enterprise, ZipCar) and lack of price parity

with ICE vehicle use.

Figure 4.7 – Survey respondents' views on how they would use an EV car club in Brampton

From survey responses and local data on transport use, a demand assessment was conducted. The proposed EV

car club has been scaled to meet local demand, ensuring there are a suitable number of vehicles and charging

points to deliver an accessible service for local people (Table 4.5).

It is important to note that this demand assessment underpins all technical and financial modelling. This is a

scenario that is supported by both local population and transport dynamics, as well as the survey responses

received. Increased demand scenarios would improve the financial viability of the scheme, though may require

greater levels of capital investment (e.g., vehicles and chargers). The opposite would be true in reduced demand

scenarios.

EV Car Club Characteristics

No.

Notes

Electric Vehicle

Renault Zoe (or similar)

EV Charger

22kW ‘fast’ charger

Number of users

110

Average miles per trip

Average miles per user per year

798

Table 4.5 – EV Car Club characteristics

4.5.2. Spatial & Technical Analysis

Spatial analysis was conducted to understanding the distribution of EV car club demand and to propose locations

for EV cars and charging infrastructure.

The community survey results suggest that the highest level of demand is in Central Brampton, as the most likely

area to have high car club demand due to having the highest population density in the area.

Figure 4.8 provides an overview of local car club demand as a heat map of the Brampton area. Access to the A6071

and A69 is a requirement, as the major trunk roads connecting Brampton to nearby settlements (e.g., Carlisle).

Several potential locations for EV cars and / or EV chargers are shown.

1. Townfoot Estate: position to enable access to those working on the estate and potentially make use of

solar cooperative electricity generation sites.

2. Brampton Community Centre: Positioned in the centre of Brampton with easy access to both the town

and A6071, as well as likelihood of support for any proposal.

3. William Howard School: providing access to the town and A6071, as well as providing a resource for

families and school users.

4. The White Rabbit Tearoom: providing easy access to the Brampton Bypass (A69) although limited

onwards transport into Brampton itself.

Figure 4.8 – Map of EV car club interest in Brampton

This section provides a financial appraisal of the options and opportunities considered within section 4. It provides

detailed financial forecasting and metrics and considers the feasibility of both solar cooperative and EV car club

projects in Brampton. Full detail on the financial variables and assumptions used within this section can be found

in Appendix A.

All financial modelling presented in this section assumes that initial financing is raised through a community share

offer with an annual return of 4%.

A 20-year financial model was developed for a solar cooperative based on the non-domestic properties included

within this study. Integrating domestic properties into the solar PV cooperate is expected to improve financial

viability, with greater generation potential and therefore larger income streams (Section 5.2).

Solar PV

Implementing solar PV across all non-domestic properties in the study is expected to cost £1,464,567, with an

annual running cost of £29,291, including maintenance, servicing, replacement, metering, and billing, and share

administration costs.

Income would be generated through PPAs with building owners / users (£116,228 / year), and export of electricity

(£92,182 / year). Alongside OPEX costs of £29,291, share interest of £58,583 is anticipated from year 2 onwards.

The 20-year net present value (NPV) is projected to be £847,224 with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 5%. The

project is expected to breakeven at year 13.

This is deemed to be a reasonable return over 20 years which balances several objectives:

1. Providing an income stream for the community solar cooperative to finance future system replacement costs

and / or develop further low carbon projects;

2. Providing building owners with energy bill reductions through access to solar energy via a PPA at £0.20 / kWh.

3. Providing shareholders with reasonable returns on their investment.

Figure 5.1 - Cashflow outcomes for the non-domestic solar PV cooperative.

Solar PV with Battery Storage

As detailed in Section 4, battery storage capacity has been modelled on a building-by-building basis. With greater

income resulting from local use over grid export, battery storage has the ability to improve the financial viability

of a solar cooperative, increase local energy use, reduce carbon emissions, and reduce cooperative members’

energy bills.

Implementing solar PV with battery storage across all non-domestic properties in the study is expected to cost

£1,927,775, with an annual running cost of £38,555, including maintenance, servicing, replacement, metering, and

billing, and share administration costs.

Income would be generated through PPAs with building owners / users (£348,683 / year), and export of electricity

(£30,727 / year). Alongside OPEX costs of £38,555, share interest of £77,111 is anticipated from year 2 onwards.

Replacement expenditure (REPEX) is included within this model for battery storage, with a cost of £347,406 at

year 10 include for the replacement of all cooperative-owned battery systems.

The 20-year net present value (NPV) is projected to be £2,808,995 with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 7%. The

project is expected to breakeven at year 8.

This shows that battery storage improves viability of the scheme, though detailed energy modelling is required on

a building-by-building basis to better understand system sizing and latent electricity use potential.

Figure 5.2 - Cashflow outcomes for the non-domestic solar PV cooperative with battery storage.

With a financially viable option to develop a solar cooperative with non-domestic properties in Brampton, it is

worthwhile considering the opportunities arising from involvement of domestic properties. A financial model was

created to understand the potential for solar PV development in Brampton, the costs of development and

potential benefits from the perspectives of the solar cooperative and potential members.

Table 5.1 demonstrates that 10% of domestic properties within the study (~230 properties) could support up to

0.69 MW of solar capacity. This would deliver £91,540 in aggregate cost savings to property owners / tenants, as

well as generating £118,831 in income for the solar cooperative, via export (£73,061) and building PPAs (£45,770).

Greater levels of ambition would result in capacities as high as 2.06 MW of solar installed, providing local benefits

of £274,621 and generating £356,494 for the solar cooperative per year.

The numbers detailed above have been provided as indicative scenarios and do not account for a number of

important variables, indulging:

• Size and scale of property;

• Local constraints, including cultural, environmental, and technical barriers;

• Property suitability for solar, including roof type, space, and orientation;

• Potential capital and operating costs for smaller scales of development, as would be implemented for

domestic properties.

Also, commercial rooftop lease and PPA agreements typically have a duration of 15-20 years, to provide long-term

security over the investment. These time periods may not be acceptable to many households, and consumer

protection issues may become relevant to domestic supply which are not factors for non-domestic supply.

Based on the above limitations, detailed cashflow modelling has not been conducted for domestic properties

within the solar cooperative. Further assessment should be conducted once specific properties have been

identified and owners engaged with to confirm interest and suitability for the solar cooperative proposal.

Domestic Properties Participation Level

30%

20%

10%

Number of Properties

689

459

230

Installed solar (MW)

2.06

1.38

0.69

Demand met by solar (MWh/year) (%)

26%

Electricity cost savings (£/year)

£274,621

£183,081

£91,540

Total income (£ / year)

£356,494

£237,662

£118,831

Export income (£/year)

£219,183

£146,122

£73,061

PPA Income (£/year)

£137,311

£91,540

£45,770

Carbon emissions savings (tCO

e/year)

132.5

88.3

44.2

Table 5.1 - Solar viability for domestic properties within Brampton Parish

This section provides an assessment of financial viability for an EV car club in Brampton. Full details on the financial

variables and assumptions used within this study can be found in Appendix A.

Demand data used within this assessment was collected through a community survey conducted in 2022. This

survey demonstrated that ~110 users were interested in an EV car club in Brampton, although with varying levels

of use type and regularity. The views of these respondents have been used to develop the below user demand

assessment and tariffing structure (Table 5.2). The proposed tariffing structure has been developed to support a

scheme which meets the required scale and use characteristics for Brampton.

Demand Assessment

Unit

Estimated number of users (annual)

110

Average number of trips / years

Average Trip Length

20 miles

Average annual user distance covered

796 miles

Proposed Tariffing Structure

Unit

Annual Membership Fee

£60

Fixed tariff (per journey)

£7

Variable tariff

£0.20 / mile

Table 5.2 – EV Car Club demand assessment and tariffing structure

Based on the tariffing structure, demand assessment and technical appraisal, a 20-year financial model has been

developed for an EV car club in Brampton (Figure 5.1). Implementation is expected to cost £100,500, with an

annual running cost of £29,291, including insurance, servicing, metering, and billing, software platform licences,

and administration costs.

Income would be generated through the annual membership fee (£6,600 / year), fixed tariffs for journeys (£30,646

/ year), and variable tariff payments (£17,512 / year). Alongside OPEX costs of £33,758, share interest of £865 is

anticipated from year 2 onwards. Replacement expenditure (REPEX) is included for EV and EV charger

replacement, with a cost of £54,000 at year 5, £43,200 at year 10, and £38,880 at years 15 and 20.

The 20-year net present value (NPV) of is projected to be £100,017 with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 7%. The

project is expected to breakeven at year 9.

Modelling assumes that all vehicle charging is conducted using grid supplied energy, and therefore subject to

electricity costs. If EV chargers were to be integrated with solar PV and / or battery storage to supply electricity,

then 20-year NPV is projected to be £326,387, with an IRR of 10%, breaking even in year 4.

An EV car club is therefore viable within Brampton, although it is unlikely to generate significant income due to

the high operating costs and requirements for frequent replacement cost investments. Further understanding of

local demand and acceptability of the proposed tariff structure is required to better understand the opportunity.

Figure 5.3 – Net Present Value for an EV Car Club over a 20-year lifetime

5.3.1. Individual User Costs

An assessment of EV car club costs to the users in comparison to ownership of a typical internal combustion engine

(ICE) vehicle is provided in Table 5.3. It demonstrates that, whilst per trip costs may be higher for EV car club users,

annual costs are significantly lower based on the average user profile. This demonstrates that an EV car club is

cheaper annually in nearly all circumstances and would remain so until a usage of 1200 miles / week. This is an

extremely unlikely use case for a car club vehicle.

Annual carbon emission from EV car club use would be 40 kg lower per year, totalling 4.4 tonnes of CO

e across a

user base of 110. This figure is expected to increase as EV emissions reduce due to decarbonisation of the UK

electricity grid.

Cost Category

Example Annual User Cost

Notes

EV Car Club

Non-EV Car

Ownership

Upfront Cost

£0

£2,333

Based on a £7,000 purchase price over a 36-month

payment plan

Annual

Membership

£60

£1,040

Includes Insurance, car tax, MOT, and breakdown cover

Single Journey

(20 miles)

£11

£3

Non-EV vehicle assumes petrol @ 1.65 / litre and an

average mileage of 11 miles per litre (50 miles per gallon)

Annual cost

(1 trip / week)

£572

£156

Total Annual

Cost

£632

£3,532

Average Monthly

Cost

£53

£294

Emissions

(kg)

30.2

70.7

EV at 46.4g/mile

Petrol at 108.8g/mile

Table 5.3 – Comparative assessment of proposed annual car club costs and car ownership costs

This section provides an overview of the commercial and governance considerations for both solar cooperatives

and EV car club creation and operation.

Energy cooperatives share certain internationally agreed-upon principles and are organised on a fundamentally

democratic basis, often operating according to a ‘one-vote- per-member’ principle. In these cases, no shareholder

can exert disproportionate control over the cooperative as voting rights do not increase based on the amount

invested. Often only a small contribution is sufficient to become a member of the cooperative and hence, to have

a say in its future development.

There are more than 200 energy coops in the UK. These include cooperatively owned wind turbines, utility scale

and distributed solar PV arrays, and national cooperative initiatives which encompass installations in many regions

of the UK. Examples include Bristol Energy Co-operative, Brighton & Hove Energy Services Co-operative, and

Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative.

Energy cooperatives offer potential to help mobilise finance for reaching renewable energy targets, while involving

citizens and other stakeholders in the production and use of renewable energy. Those who sign up as members

can buy shares of the cooperative, which in turn owns renewable energy installations and provides a return on

investment to its members over time. Provided the energy cooperative acts as, or sells to, a licensed supplier,

members can also get access to locally produced green electricity at a fair price.

6.1.1. Solar Cooperatives

Solar Cooperatives have been set up in a variety of forms in the UK, such as community-led initiatives where solar

infrastructure is owned and operated by a cooperative organisation or where domestic or commercial members

work together to design and procure systems which are in turn owned by the property owner. This section focuses

on the former example.

In a basic sense, solar cooperatives work by developing a site or portfolio of sites (e.g., rooftops) for solar PV

implementation, therefore increasing scale of development, impact, participation and, maybe most critically,

reducing capital costs. Furthermore, a cooperative approach enables membership and therefore equitable

distribution of costs and benefits across all participating sites and members (i.e., investors).

There are several models of solar cooperative development and operation, although they follow a similar process:

1. Feasibility assessment of solar PV opportunities.

2. Onboarding of potential sites and development of a cooperative business plan across all viable sites.

3. Constitution of a cooperative organisation.

4. Detailed site design, consenting and development.

5. Development and issue of a share or bond offer and securing of wider financing requirements.

6. Procurement, installation, and commissioning of sites.

7. Project operation and administration.

Within the above process there are several options in terms of business model and revenue generation, detailed

below.

• Electricity export: This is highly likely to be a core income stream for any solar cooperative, with energy

exported to the grid and income accrued by the cooperative.

• Fixed lease agreements: This would be a simple lease agreement with the building or landowner which

enables use of the land or roof space for solar PV generation, whilst providing a nominal income to the

cooperative, often based on the scale of development.

• Variable lease agreements: This would be similar to fixed leasing but may be a variable cost based on

potential generation capacity, actual generation, or level of local energy use (i.e., direct consumption by

the building owner / tenant).

• Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): This would be a tariff applied to all electricity consumed by the

building owner / tenant. A PPA would be agreed for a fixed term (e.g., 1 year) and renegotiated in line

with changing electricity market prices. For example, in 2022 typical electricity tariffs are £0.30 - £0.40 /

kWh. A PPA of £0.20 would reduce costs to the building owner / tenant whilst generating income for the

cooperative. A PPA may also include a fixed rate (i.e., standing charge) to cover specific costs, such as

maintenance or replacement costs of the solar PV infrastructure or to reduce the cooperative’s exposure

to the risks of unexpectedly low energy consumption.

It is important to note that the above revenue would be utilised for a specific set of purposes, set out and agreed

in the cooperative’s constitution, including (but not limited to):

• Covering operating costs (OPEX), such as maintenance, servicing, share administration.

• Repaying capital costs (CAPEX), such as commercial loans, share or bond interest payments and

repayments.

• Accruing income for replacement costs (REPEX), such as replacement of solar PV panels, cabling, or

battery storage systems.

• Accruing income for contingency costs, often capped at a set value (e.g., 10%) in case of unexpected costs

(e.g., changes in wholesale electricity prices reducing PPA rates, sites dropping out of the cooperative,

unanticipated share repayments).

• Using income to initiate and finance wider community-led and / or low carbon projects, often via a

community benefit fund.

Case Study – Edinburgh Community Solar Cooperative (ECSC)

Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative (ECSC) was formed in December 2013 as an Industrial & Provident

Society, which is governed by its Rules and run by a board of directors.

ECSC, supported by Energy4All, raised the required funds (£1.4 million) to install 25 solar PV arrays. This was

achieved with a public share offer, giving priority to Edinburgh residents to become members of the co-

operative by purchasing shares for a minimum of £250.

During operation, some or all of the electricity generated is used by the building, depending on internal

demand. This electricity is sold to the Council through a Licence Agreement. ECSC also receives income through

the Feed in Tariff. Any surplus electricity is exported to the grid, for which ECSC also receives income. The actual

level of income depends on the level of daylight, how much electricity is used internally and the operational

efficiency of the plant.

Each year, after operation and administration costs have been covered, share interest is paid to members. The

return on share capital is capped at 5%, which will rise with RPI each year. The surplus funds generated after

payment of share interest is allocated to the community benefit fund. By year 21, members will have all their

original investment returned and the panels will revert to the Council.

Case Study – The Big Solar Co-op

The Big Solar Co-op is developing a business model and organisational structure to maintain a national-scale

post-subsidy solar cooperative. By 2023 it aims to install 100MW of rooftop solar that will save nearly 40,000

tonnes of CO2 emissions a year and produce enough electricity for over 250 million miles of electric car

journeys.

The project seeks to support the expansion of the community renewables sector by taking away some of the

barriers faced by volunteer-run local community renewables groups. Through this approach, communities

work locally and as part of a UK-wide solar co-op to support the growth of its volunteer base by:

• Providing support through training and peer mentoring

• Breaking down the work into more manageable portions to enable people with less time to participate

• Bringing volunteers together with a sense of national movement with a shared low carbon vision.

The project intends to engage 250 active volunteers across 25 local groups, generate 5 new sustainable jobs,

and create ethical, accessible social investment opportunities - raising £25m and saving over £300,000 annually

on fuel bills for community buildings and social housing.

6.1.2. Cooperative Governance

Cooperatives are based on seven principles agreed by the International Cooperative Alliance:

1. Voluntary and open membership. Cooperatives are voluntary organisations, open to all persons able to use

their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political,

or religious discrimination.

2. Democratic member control. Cooperatives are democratic organisations controlled by their members, who

actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. People serving as elected representatives

are accountable to the membership. In primary cooperatives members have equal voting rights (one member,

one vote), and cooperatives at other levels are also organised in a democratic manner.

3. Member economic participation. Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital

of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. Members

usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members

allocate surpluses for any of the following purposes: developing their co-operative; benefiting members in

proportion to their transactions with the co-operative; and supporting other activities approved by the

membership.

4. Autonomy and independence. Cooperatives are autonomous organisations controlled by their members. If

they enter into agreements with other organisations, including governments, or raise capital from external

sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative

autonomy.

5. Education, training, and information. Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected

representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their

cooperatives. They inform the public - particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the nature and

benefits of cooperation.

6. Cooperation among cooperatives. Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the

cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures.

7. Concern for community. Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through

policies approved by their members.

Currently there is no cooperative legal form in the UK, and so organisations wishing to become cooperatives must

choose one of the existing legal forms to begin operation. It is usually advisable for a cooperative, whatever its

type, to incorporate to limit the liability of its members and governing body.

Industrial and provident society (IPS)

It is generally accepted that the IPS route is most robust form for a cooperative. It contains statutory protection

of the cooperative principles - for example, one member one vote - and is designed to enhance democracy and

protect the rights of the members. IPSs are registered with the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA

scrutinises the governing document (Rules) of applications to register as an IPS.

Before a cooperative is registered, the FSA checks to ensure that the rules meet the requirements of the Act to

believes that they are not in keeping with the original ethos of the society. IPS’s are permitted to issue shares to

the public, so if a cooperative - particularly a community co-operative - wishes to raise funds from the public then

the IPS legal form is probably the most appropriate one to choose.

BenComs are a form of Industrial and Provident Society (IPS) and are a type of co-operative enterprise. BenComs

are managed by an elected Board of Directors and owned by members (shareholders). Shares in BenComs are a

form of ethical investment: members receive a yearly fixed interest agreed by the members at an AGM. Unlike

shares in normal limited companies, IPS/BenCom shares cannot be sold, although they can be repaid at par by the

Society. They are also an ethical and affordable way to raise capital. See 6.2.1 for further details.

Private company limited by guarantee / shares

The limited company legal form is the most well-known. It is widely used by cooperatives and is familiar to most

advisers, professionals, and funders. Company law does not offer any protection of the cooperative principles, but

it is flexible, and its governing legislation is accessible and up to date.

Private companies limited by shares are prohibited from offering shares to the public, so if the propose

cooperative wishes to raise funds from the public this legal form should be avoided

Community interest company (CIC)

The CIC is a limited company but with special features and is available for use by organisations that wish to conduct

their business for community benefit. One of its key features is an asset lock, whereby assets of a CIC are protected

and cannot be distributed for private benefit. The asset lock may be useful for cooperatives wishing to apply for

funding or promote themselves as not-for-private profit. It is not possible for a CIC limited by guarantee to pay

dividends to members and a dividend would be subject to a cap in a CIC limited by shares. The asset lock would

also prohibit distribution of assets to members at the point of winding up.

Like limited companies, CICs don’t offer any protection of the cooperative principles and, as with a company

limited by shares, public share issues are prohibited.

There a several business models commonly employed for community-led car clubs in the UK:

Informal Car Club

Setting up and running an informal car club is not that complicated and does not involve much more work than

goes with being an individual car owner. This is typically conducted on an ad hoc basis between individuals, with

a simple management structure, agreement of responsibilities and costs, and insurance covering named drivers

across one or more vehicles.

Peer-to-peer car club

A peer-to-peer car club is a brokerage service which allows individuals who own cars to rent them out to people

who need to borrow them. The owner supplies details of their vehicle and its availability to the club, which displays

them on the central website. The club ensures that drivers are insured and handles the financial transactions.

Example operators in the UK are Hiyacar, easyCar Club and Rentecarlo.

Until recently, peer-to-peer car clubs were difficult to establish as they needed commitment from the car owner

to be available to meet the driver to hand over the keys for each booking. However, modern technology now

available means that a telematics unit can be easily installed in the owner’s car which means that the driver can

then unlock it for the time that they have booked it using a phone app.

Independent car club

Car clubs can be run entirely by the community for the benefit of their neighbours without depending on services

provided by third parties, but insurance can be expensive, especially for fleets with fewer than 5 vehicles.

The largest independent community car club in the UK is Moray Carshare, with 13 cars based around Findhorn in

the north of Scotland and over 100 members. It works on a trust-based system with the keys kept in a nearby

combination-lock safe, and logbooks in the car for drivers to record their journeys. This low-tech model works best

in small communities where car club members know each other. Members are relied on to only take the car during

the periods for which it is booked, and to accurately record vehicle hire times and mileage.

This system has the advantage of not needing access to a mobile phone signal but can be labour intensive for

volunteers or local employees to process data and handle billing and payment collection. Online booking providers

(e.g., SuperSaaS) and low-cost telematics (e.g., Instacar) can help to reduce this burden and the reliance on user

reporting.

National Operator License

Licensing a car club model from a national operator can reduce the burden of running a car club independently.

You will pay a monthly fee for access to the scheme, but benefits include expert advice, centralised 24hr support

for members, access to promotional materials, an online presence, being part of a national network, etc. Two

examples – Moorcar and Co-wheels – have worked with Enterprise Car Club, with a further example in Strathaven

working with Karshare for their community car club.

Commuter Car Club

Car clubs usually do not work for commuting as when you pay for the vehicle by the hour, it is expensive to have

it sitting outside offices all day. Examples, such as Wheelshare Anstruther, show that agreements with other local

or regional car clubs can enable commuter use of a car club. The Wheelshare Anstruther vehicle is used locally at

weekends by car club members, with members commuting to Dundee during weekdays, where the vehicle joins

the Co-Wheels Dundee fleet between 9am – 5pm.

6.2.1. Legal Structures

Legal structures which are suitable for community-led car club operation in England include:

Community Interest Company (CIC) - this relatively new legal form is simple to set up but requires annual

reporting to both Companies House and the CIC register. Requiring both a ‘community interest statement’ and an

‘asset lock’ charity (who will decide on disposal of assets if the company is wound up). Co-wheels, the national car

club operator is a CIC.

Co-operative Society (Co-op) – One of several types of ‘mutual societies,’ coops are set up mainly for the benefit

of its members under a democratic one-member, one-vote constitution. As previously detailed, cooperatives can

take several forms. Integration of a solar cooperative and car club cooperative may be possible, but delineation of

asset ownership and liability is critical between the two operations and may be better suited to operation under

separate but related commercial entities.

Community Benefit Society (BenCom) – another form of ‘mutual society,’ which can choose from a set of ‘model

rules,’ but modifications to ‘model rules’ take time and cost money. Differs from a Co-op in that it is set up for the

benefit of the wider community, rather than just members e.g., a group working to improve local transport

options. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) with an appropriate “asset lock” and social mission. This is the easiest

format to set up (can be as little as 2 weeks). Annual reporting to Companies House is straightforward.

Companies Limited by Guarantee, BenComs and Co-ops can also be registered as a charity with associated tax

benefits. Further information relating to car club governance, commercial structuring and operation is available

from CoMoUK, the national charity for shared transport (https://www.como.org.uk).

Table 7.1 provides an overview of available and relevant funding streams which may support the development

of a solar cooperative and / or EV car club in Brampton.

Funding Opportunity Assessment

Solar PV

Community

Financing

Whilst there are no specific supporting mechanisms for solar PV at

either national of local levels, community financing is an intention of

Brampton 2 Zero via a share raise.

Community solar cooperatives have had success in the UK using

community share offers and bond offers to raise finance.

This can be a low-cost source of finance which may attract

environmentally and socially aware investors.

VAT

To support households against rising inflations and energy prices, in

April 2022 the UK government scrapped the previous 5% VAT tariff on

energy-saving measures, which includes solar panels. In March 2027

this period will finish and a VAT rate of 5% will return.

Smart Export

Guarantee (SEG)

In January 2020, the UK Government replaced the Feed-in Tariff (FiT)

with the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), under which energy companies

offer competitive tariffs for exported renewable energy to the grid.

SEG rates are available for solar panels, hydro power, wind power,

anaerobic digestion, and micro combined heat and power (CHP), and

currently range from as high as 18p / kWh down to 1.5p / kWh.

Power Purchase

Agreement

(PPA)

For larger scale and aggregate export (>100kW), it is possible to enter

into a direct contract with an energy supplier to sell the power

exported from site. Scene has recently secured a PPA with Younity

(which exclusively buys community renewable energy) for 18.5p/kWh.

Electric

Vehicles &

Charging

OZEV Grant

Scheme

The EV charge point grant provides funding of up to 75% towards the

cost of installing electric vehicle smart charge points at domestic

properties across the UK. The scheme is available for tenants, landlords,

carparks, and staff fleets, and species a list of approved electric vehicle

models, charge point models, and technical installers whose products

and services they help to fund.

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a separate funding

mechanism, issuing vouchers to support the up-front costs of

purchasing and installing electric vehicle charge points for eligible

businesses, charities, and public sector organisations.

Workplace

Charging

Scheme (WCS)

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme for

businesses for electric car charger installation. It can cover up to 75% of

the cost and a maximum of £350 for each socket, for up to 40 sockets.

This may be an appropriate route for charger installation at non-

domestic premises and possibly at the Brampton community centre.

On-street

Residential

Chargepoint

Scheme (ORCS)

The On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) provides funding

for local authorities towards the cost of installing on-street residential

electric car chargers. This is great for people who don't have off street

parking.

Funding Opportunity Assessment

The scheme, run by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) for OLEV, has an

allocated pot of money available to local authorities on a first-come,

first served, basis.

This funding route would require partnership with the local authority to

implement.

Plug-in Car

Grant (PICG)

This grant is available through car manufactures and dealerships who

pass the discount to customers. The vehicles have to be on the

government's approved list. Grant available for car purchase is up to

35%, capped at £1,500

Table 7.1 - Funding opportunities for solar PV and EV infrastructure

7.1.1. Community Financing

A community share or bond raise is a good way to raise finance for community-owned energy projects. Share and

bond offers have been used frequently throughout the UK community energy sector over the last decade,

financing all types of low carbon energy infrastructure.

A share issue is an offer for shares by a company or an industrial and provident society (IPS) (i.e., Cooperative).

Bond issues or loan stock issues (the terms are interchangeable) are offers to several people to lend money to an

organisation on similar terms for several years. It is long-term debt capital.

Several organisations in the UK support share and bond offers from community organisations, including Co-

operatives UK, Ethex, Sharenergy, and Resonance. Share and Bond offers can be time-consuming tasks due to the

level of advertising, engagement, and administration required to successfully raise the required level of finance.

It is highly recommended that B2Z work with a recognised expert partner for any share or bond offer issue.

It is important to understand investor motivations when it comes to community shares, enabling the issuing

organisation to clearly state the benefits of their proposed project in a way that captures investor attention and,

in turn, secures investment. Co-operatives UK (2020) details investor rationales (Figure 7.1), demonstrating that

financial performance and returns, whilst important, are not the most critical underpinning factor in most

community share raises.

Figure 7.1 – Reasons for community share investment (Cooperatives UK, 2020)

Figure 7.2 provides an overview of the share / bond offer process, detailing the steps required prior to, during and

after a community-financed project.

Figure 7.2 – Share / Bond offer journey

Share / Bond Adminstration & Management

Implement Project

Secure Agreements & Investment

Launch Campaign

Secure Campaign Partner (if required)

Develop Share / Bond Offer Document

Develop Business Plan

Constitute Organisation

Conduct Feasibilty Study

As detailed within this study, both a solar cooperative and EV car club are viable within Brampton, both in terms

of level of local demand, as well as from technical, financial, and environmental perspectives. This study has

focused on defining project proposals which are more than financially viable, seeking to deliver the greatest local

economic, social, and environmental impacts whilst ensuring the self-sufficiency of the overall solar cooperative

and car club.

This report finds that:

• There is sufficient demand and interest from residents and businesses to develop a number of viable

sites for solar PV in Brampton. Non-domestic is seen as the primary opportunity due to the established

level of interest and high potential solar PV capacities which could be implemented on non-domestic

rooftops. Domestic solar PV could form an integral part of a solar cooperative, but further work is required

to establish interest and model solar PV capacities for specific domestic properties.

• Based on our analysis, there is the potential for 1.31 MW of non-domestic rooftop solar PV generation,

producing 1,069 MWh of low carbon electricity and offsetting 112 tCO

e annually.

• Additional of just 10% of Brampton’s domestic properties to these figures would increase generation

capacity by 0.69 MW, totaling 2.0 MW of domestic and non-domestic rooftop solar PV generation,

producing 1,632 MWh of low carbon electricity and offsetting 156 tCO

e annually.

• Integration of battery storage would help to increase the level of local energy use by up to 40%,

therefore reducing property owners’ energy bills and increasing revenue for the solar cooperative.

Further assessment of specific battery storage capacities and costs is required on a building-by-building

basis.

• Development of non-domestic properties would require capital expenditure (CAPEX) of £1.4m, with an

annual operating expenditure (OPEX) of £29,000. With battery storage integration, total costs would

total £1.9m with an operating cost of £38,000.

• Based on the revenue generation assumptions made, the proposed scheme would have an annual income

of £208,000, comprised of electricity exports (44%) and PPA income from cooperative member properties

(56%). This would rise to £379,000 with battery storage integration, from export (8%) and PPA income

(92%).

• Lifetime Net Present Value (NPV) for the proposed cooperative would be £0.85m with an internal rate

of return (IRR) of 5%. With battery integration NPV would total £2.8m with an IRR of 7%. All financial

analysis assumes a community share offer is issued, raising all finance through this means and providing

an annual share return of 4% to investors from year 2 onwards.

This report finds that.

• There is demand and interest from residents to develop an EV car club in Brampton, obtained from a

community survey and via anecdotal evidence. Further engagement and demand assessment is

recommended to ensure the demand assumptions made within this report are valid.

• Based on our analysis, there is sufficient demand to support the development of a car club with an

estimated 3 vehicles and 3 x 22kw fast chargers. As anticipated, the greatest level of demand is within

the town of Brampton, although there are pockets of demand in rural locations which should be

considered.

• Developing a car club with a regular user base of 100 users would require a tariffing structure which

includes membership fees (£60 / year), single journey fees (£7 / journey) and mileage fees (£0.14 /

mile). This is in line with both community and commercial car clubs in the UK. These figures should be

revised in line with detailed understanding of local transport demand and project costs.

• Development of the proposed car club would require capital expenditure (CAPEX) of £101,000, with an

annual operating expenditure (OPEX) of £34,000. Based on the revenue generation assumptions made,

the proposed scheme would have an annual income of £55,000, comprised of membership fees (12%)

and fixed tariffs for car club journeys (56%), and mileage income (32%).

• Analysis of the above values on an individual basis suggest that, compared to a typical car ownership

scenario, an EV car club would be up to £3,000 cheaper annually and reduce user carbon emissions by

around 40 tCO

e / year.

• Lifetime Net Present Value (NPV) for the proposed cooperative would be £100,000 with an internal rate

of return (IRR) of 7%. If the EV car club was supplied with electricity for all EV charging from the solar

cooperative, then lifetime NPV would increase to £326,000, with an IRR of 10%. All financial analysis

assumes a community share offer is issued, raising all finance through this means and providing an annual

share return of 4% to investors from year 2 onwards.

A project roadmap has been set out below, demonstrating the scope of works required to develop the heat

network proposal to the point of investment ready.

• Secure Written Interest in Solar Cooperative / Car Club

• Engage with Local Planning Authority

• Ongoing Engagement

Community and Stakeholder

Engagement

• Building-by-building Solar PV Design

• EV Charger Siting

Detailed Design

• Detailed Financial Appraisal

• Constitute Cooperative

• Governance Strategy

Business Plan

• Develop Share Offer

• Secure Partnership(s)

• Marketing and Adminstration

Share Offer Development

• Engage with regulators (e.g., Historic England)

• Grid Application

• Planning Application (if required)

Planning and Grid

• Programming

• Risk Assessment

• Procurement

Implementation Roadmap

•Installation of Solar PV and Chargers

•Purchase of Vehicle Fleet

Construction

• Monitoring & Evaluation

• Ongoing Management & Maintenance

Operation

This financial appendix provides an overview of all variables and assumptions used within this feasibility study.

Variable

Value

Notes

Total Installed Capacity (MWp)

1.31

Solar PV Generation / year (MWh)

1,079

Solar PV Capital Expense (CAPEX)

£1,331,424

Based on UKGov solar costs

Battery Storage CAPEX

£463,208

Operating Expense (OPEX)

£29,291

2% of CAPEX

Share Raise Interest Payments (Year 1)

Share Raise Interest Payments (Year 2 onwards)

4.0%

Battery Storage Cost

£510

£ per kWh

Electricity Price

£0.40

Power Purchase Agreement Tariff

£0.20

Smart Export Guarantee Income

£0.185

Contingency

10%

Applied to CAPEX values

Discount Rate

3.50%

Annual

Inflation Rate

3.00%

Annual

Project Lifetime (Years)

Table 0.1 – Solar PV Cooperative Assumptions & Variables

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solar-pv-cost-data

Variable

Value

Notes

Capital Expense (CAPEX), including:

£100,500

Vehicle Cost

£30,000

Renault Zoe (or similar)

EV Charger Cost

£5,000

22kW fast charger with installation

Operating Expense (OPEX)

£29,839

Includes insurance, administration, servicing,

maintenance, and management platform costs.

Number Vehicles

3 x Renault Zoe (or similar)

Number of EV Chargers

3 x 22kW fast chargers

Users

110

From positive survey responses

Membership Fee

£ / year

Fixed Tariff

£ / Use

Variable Tariff

0.2

£ / mile

Average Journey Distance

796

miles/user/year

Electricity Cost Per Mile

£0.095

Modelled using Renault Zoe and UK £0.28 / kWh (as

of mid-2022)

Share Raise (Year 1)

Share Raise Rate

4.0%

Contingency

10%

Discount Rate

3.50%

Annual

Inflation Rate

3.00%

Annual

Project Lifetime (Years)

Table 0.2 – EV Car Club Assumptions & Variables

This appendix provides an understanding of non-domestic building size, electricity demand, and carbon emissions.

Non-domestic Site Demand

Building assessed for energy demand

Floor area

)

Electricity demand

(kWh/year)

Carbon emissions

(tCO

e/year)

Building 1

556

155,124

30.0

Building 2

200

58,800

11.4

Building 3

1,400

93,800

18.1

Building 4

420

123,480

23.9

Building 5

1,325

21,987

4.3

Building 6

207

3,435

0.7

Building 7

1,319

89,692

17.3

Building 8

2,162

86,480

16.7

Building 9

330

15,180

2.9

Building 10

17,411

713,851

138

Building 11

400

17,200

3.3

Building 12

500

25,500

4.9

Building 13

312

31,512

6.1

Building 14

1,400

141,400

27.3

Building 15

650

65,650

12.7

Building 16

450

27,614

5.3

Building 17

2,350

237,350

45.9

Building 18

1,524

643,128

124.4

Building 19

983

228,056

44.1

Building 20

825

83,325

16.1

Building 21

965

113,870

22.0

Building 22

652

65,852

12.7

Building 23

205

20,705

4.0

Building 24

443

44,743

8.7

Building 25

480

48,480

9.4

Total

3,156 MWh

610.3

Table 0.1 - Estimated electricity consumption and carbon emissions of the non-domestic sites

This appendix provides an overview of all community engagement work conducted during this study.

This document provides a plan for stakeholder engagement which supported the feasibility study for a

community solar PV cooperative and EV car club in the town of Brampton. Scene delivered the described

engagement in close coordination with Brampton 2 Zero (B2Z). The engagement methods described were

designed to ensure that residents of Brampton and relevant wider stakeholders were made aware of the

project, offered the opportunity to input into the development process, and to secure the support and

participation of local people in a resulting cooperative and car club.

Stakeholder Overview

The most relevant stakeholders are described and typified below alongside specific outcomes that will

maximise the prospects of a viable cooperative / car club. Further specific information on engagement

actions and methods can be found on page 3.

Stakeholder

Outcome(s)

Brampton 2 Zero

• Ensure B2Z has the necessary information, recommendations, and roadmap

regarding the feasibility of a solar cooperative / car club in Brampton.

Carlisle City Council

(CCC)

• Inform CCC about the project aims, outcomes and impacts.

• Gather data in relation to Council owned / managed land and properties in

Brampton.

• Secure support for involvement in cooperative / car club

• Screen planning requirements.

Landowners

• Gather data on landownership boundaries.

• Inform about the project aims, outcomes and impacts.

• Secure support in principle from landowner(s) for locations of interest.

Non-domestic buildings

(owners / tenants)

• Gather data on energy demand, efficiency, and generation.

• Inform about the project aims, outcomes and impacts.

• Secure support in principle for involvement in cooperative.

Domestic properties

(owners / tenants)

• Gather data on energy demand, efficiency, and domestic generation.

• Inform about the project aims, outcomes and impacts.

• Secure support in principle for involvement in cooperative

Energy Networks

• Gather data on electrical demand and generation headroom on low-voltage (LV)

network.

Regulators

• Inform on project designs and impacts.

• Screen consents and permission needs and activity requirements.

Table 0.1 - Overview of Stakeholder Types and Actions

Engagement Action Plan

The below action plan provides a step-by-step guide to how community engagement was managed over the

course of the project. It was designed with a clear hierarchy of engagement, namely: awareness raising;

developing dialogue, building support, securing buy-in. Whilst the below plan is chronological, the

engagement journey may differ between stakeholders in both form and timescales.

1. Awareness Raising

Awareness raising was conducted through several methods:

A. A community engagement event (21

June 2022 – see section 4)

▪ Outreach: directly via email, in-person by B2Z

▪ Participants: Invite only residents, businesses, and council, etc.

▪ Format: A short presentation on the project ambition and objectives followed by a

roundtable Q&A session with all participants.

B. A briefing for stakeholders, setting out project ambition, objectives, and outputs as of the end of

phase 1. This will be shared directly and via engagement events.

C. Via direct communications with stakeholders, including requests for information (RFI), emails and

phone calls with stakeholders.

The focus of this stage was on building support in the local area from potential scheme participants (i.e.,

Cooperative members). Engagement with regulators, network operators, etc., was conducted once initial

demand and resource assessments were completed (phase 2 onwards).

2. Developing Dialogue

This stage is where negotiation occurs in the process and will include:

A. Discussing and securing land options for energy generation (solar PV) and mobility (Car club)

infrastructure.

B. Developing discussions with potential members and customers via direct communications and

sharing of the briefing for stakeholders.

The purpose of this stage is to identify opportunities for electricity generation and use, and to further

discussions with stakeholders relevant to these areas. Further to this, identifying potential barriers (e.g.,

regulatory, non-supportive stakeholders) was conducted during this stage, with a view to removing or

reducing these barriers through dialogue.

3. Building Support

This stage is where in-principle support for the project will be developed. This is achieved via:

A. Direct conversations to communicate specific activities, outcomes and benefits relevant to each

potential member property(s), e.g., landowners, anchor loads or key stakeholders.

B. Ongoing engagement with non-anchor load stakeholders to understand and record expected level

of support.

C. Developing support from relevant authorities and regulators through continued information sharing.

The purpose of this stage is to build the critical mass of energy customers / loads which will underpin project

viability.

4. Securing Buy-in

This stage focuses on securing support in writing. This is particularly appropriate for anchor loads during the

feasibility stage but may not be feasible for all properties until detailed individual property energy

assessments are completed.

A. Establishing in-principle support from landowners, anchor loads and key stakeholders via a

memorandum of understanding (MoU).

B. Continued engagement with all potential members / car club customers to maintain support and

momentum.

C. Formal screening opinions and advice from regulators based on expected scheme designs.

D. Public presentation and media release of final reporting, project outcomes and development

roadmap.

Engagement Event Agenda

The following details refer to phase 1 / 2 of the above action plan, focusing on a site visit and engagement

event in Brampton.

Event Title: Low Carbon in Brampton

Date: Tuesday 21

June 2022

Venue: Brampton // Community Centre

Agenda

10:00am – Arrive Carlisle

10:30am – Short project meeting, including review of plans for the day, resources, and logistics.

11am – Site walkover

• This will include a walk around Brampton to spatially orientate the team. The key focus will be

on generation opportunities (i.e., roof spaces) and mobility infrastructure (car parks, etc.).

• This may be an opportunity to meet specific building owners prior to the event.

12:00pm – Event setup

12:30pm – Event Open

1. Introductory presentation by Phil @ B2Z. (5mins)

2. Presentation from Sandy @ Scene (15mins), introducing solar cooperatives, benefits of community

energy, options available to property owners / tenants, car club rationale, likely impacts of any

projects, and wider work done to date.

3. Question & Answer session (30 mins)

4. Open period for one-to-one conversations, etc. (1hr)

3:30pm – Event Close + wrap up between Scene and B2Z

Resources Required

• Projector and screen (B2Z, if available)

• Laptop (Scene)

• Briefing for stakeholders (Scene)

• Sign-up Sheets (Scene)

• Table & Chairs (B2Z, if available)

Responsibilities

• Send invites (B2Z)

• Create presentation for Brampton (Scene)

• Update and print briefing for stakeholders (Scene)

• Discuss Frequently Asked Questions (All)