Tendring Community Energy

02/06/2026

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Morag Gibbons, Scott Pepper

02/06/2026

Its all starting to come together! Come on down on Thursday 4th June at 4pm to meet the team at our Grand Opening!!

31/05/2026

25/05/2026

☀️ Did you know that today solar power is providing around 43% of Britain’s electricity at peak times?

That’s not just a national success story — it’s a huge opportunity for Tendring too.

From rooftops on homes and businesses to community energy projects and carefully planned solar developments, Tendring has the potential to generate enough clean electricity to power tens of thousands of homes while helping to lower bills, cut carbon emissions and keep more energy investment local.

This is about more than electricity. It’s about:
🔋 Energy security for our communities
💷 Lower energy costs over time
🌱 Cleaner air and reduced emissions
👷 Local jobs, skills and investment
🏘️ A stronger, more resilient Tendring

Every solar panel installed locally helps build a cleaner and more affordable energy future for our district.

Take a look at the infographic below to see what solar power could mean for Tendring 👇

24/05/2026

🌿 “How Much a Family of Four Can Save Each Year ”?

💧 Reduce Thermostat by 1°C

• Typical saving: £80–£100 per year
• Based on UK Energy Saving Trust estimates for a gas‑heated home.
• Bonus: Reduces carbon emissions by ~300kg CO₂ annually.

🔥 Boil Only What You Need

• Half‑filling the kettle vs full: £20–£30 per year
• Kettles are one of the highest‑use appliances in UK homes.

💡 Switch to LED Bulbs
• Replacing 10 halogens with LEDs: £60–£90 per year
• LEDs last 5–10× longer and use up to 80% less electricity.

🔌 Use Smart Plugs
• Eliminates “vampire power” from TVs, consoles, chargers, routers.
• Typical saving: £30–£50 per year

🧺 Wash Clothes at 30°C
• Lowering wash temperature saves £15–£25 per year
• Modern detergents work perfectly at 30°C.

🚿 Shorter Showers
• Cutting 1 minute per shower for a family of 4: £40–£60 per year
• Even higher if using an electric shower.

🧯 Turn Off Lights When Leaving Rooms
• Simple habit change: £10–£20 per year

🧮 Total Potential Annual Saving
£255 – £375 per year
For a typical family of 2 adults + 2 children.

23/05/2026

There’s a lot of debate locally about solar farms — and fair enough. People care deeply about farmland, food security, the countryside, and energy costs.

But one area that deserves a closer look is agrivoltaics — a system where farming and solar work together on the same land.

This isn’t theory anymore. France’s national agricultural research institute (INRAE) has been studying it for years with projects such as Sun’Agri. Their trials show that carefully designed solar canopies above crops can:

• reduce water stress during heatwaves
• lower irrigation needs
• protect crops from extreme temperatures
• maintain — and sometimes improve — yields during drought conditions
• generate clean electricity at the same time

The panels are raised high enough for farming machinery to continue underneath, and some systems automatically tilt to manage shade depending on crop conditions.

Importantly, the research is not claiming solar works everywhere or for every crop. Even the scientists involved say projects must be properly designed, limited in scale, and focused on supporting agriculture first.

That’s the sensible conversation Tendring should be having.

Our district already faces challenges from rising energy costs, pressure on farming, summer droughts, and the need for local investment. Community-led renewable energy projects could help create:
• lower-cost local power
• income that stays in the community
• protection for some crops during hotter summers
• diversification for farmers
• reduced carbon emissions without losing productive land

Tendring Community Energy has the opportunity to explore these ideas in a practical and balanced way — not “solar at any cost”, but smarter projects that work with agriculture instead of against it.

Healthy scepticism is important. But so is looking at real evidence and real innovation.

The future may not be a choice between farming or clean energy. In some places, it could be both.

Sources:
INRAE (French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment)
Sun’Agri research programme
French agrivoltaic field trials

22/05/2026

As well as all our effort into setting up our new hub, scheduled to open on 4th June at 16 Station Road Clacton on Sea, our team of brilliant Energy Champions have been hard at work delivering real change for families in the Tendring Community. Here are just some of the highlights!

🌿 Tendring Community Energy — April & May Highlights!

We’ve been busy connecting with our community through events, talks, and outreach — helping more households learn about sustainable energy and support services.

✅ 400 attendees joined us across Tendring
💚 42 PSR sign‑ups improving local energy resilience
🌞 Together, we’re building a greener, more connected future!

Let’s keep the momentum going — share, volunteer, and spread the word about local sustainability.

22/05/2026

How green is this - Sat charging my EV, whilst watching a family of bunnies in the grass 🙂

19/05/2026

Out in the North Sea, the Dogger Bank Wind Farm is showing just how powerful clean energy can become.

This massive project is the world’s largest offshore wind farm under development, with a planned capacity of 3.6 GW, enough to power around 6 million homes across the UK with clean electricity. Hundreds of giant wind turbines stretch across the ocean, creating one of the biggest renewable energy systems ever built.

Instead of relying on fossil fuels and heavy pollution, Dogger Bank is helping cut millions of tons of CO₂ emissions while proving that large scale renewable energy can power the future. 🌬️⚡