PEC In Action

We provide vital support for thousands of households in Plymouth living in fuel poverty, build locally-owned renewable energy, and improving the energy efficiency of homes across the city.

We're showing that a cleaner, fairer energy future is possible now.

Explore how we make an impact across all these areas.

Tackling Fuel Poverty
Jake helping with bills

Our Energy Team has provides free support to anyone in Plymouth who is in or at risk of fuel poverty. 

The support we offer can be a vital lifeline for residents in very difficult circumstances.  For residents in vulnerable situations, our support means one careful step at a time to move from crisis to resilience.  

Each case provides valuable insight into the pressures facing our community.

One in four are seeking advice to lower unaffordable bills.

Unmanageable fuel debt is the second highest concern.

One in ten are entangled in disputes with energy suppliers.

 

Our Impact Graphic Fuel Poverty

What we're doing right now

PEC Pals

PEC Pals is our community volunteer programme

Home Upgrades
Sophia at kitchen table alt Future Fit

Improving the energy efficiency of Plymouth's homes is a big task.  

Buildings were responsible for 28% of Plymouth’s carbon emissions in 2019. 

Seven out of ten homes need to be ‘retrofitted’ with energy upgrades to reach EPC Grade C. Achieving this target would cut carbon emissions for the city by 12% and save £72.5 million in energy costs, boosting our local economy. Better homes also mean healthier living and fewer damp and cold issues.

PEC established its Future Fit service in 2020 to increase the scale of local domestic retrofit through:

Fostering trust: People need clear impartial information on their options for improving the energy performance of their homes, and to be able to trust in the work that is completed in their home.

Boosting ability: Plymouth needs a system for large-scale improvements with skilled businesses, support, data, and expertise. Local businesses need to understand their role in this market to invest in enhancing skills.

Our Impact Graphic Homes Upgrades
Local Power
Solar school

PEC Renewables fund, install and manage our community-owned renewable energy installations.

Our work on local energy generation in 2023 was set against a context of rising energy prices, rising interest rates, and rising construction costs. The latter two points made for exceptionally challenging conditions to bring forward and progress potential projects - such as Chelson Meadow.

However, rising energy prices have also demonstrated the benefit and value community owned renewable assets can bring. Firstly, through the energy savings to our host buildings – and therefore the positive impact on the budgets of those organisations. Paying less for their energy than current market prices is indisputable. Secondly, the higher price that we can sell our renewable energy for leads to higher surpluses which directly increases the amount of money we are able to reinvest in the community – profits which in a commercial scheme would be lost in dividends.

Our Impact Graphic Local Power

What we're doing right now

Solar Visit 1
In progress

Solar Schools

We've partnered up with the wonderful team at Earth Energy Education to offer local primary schools workshops and the opportunity to 'get hands on' with solar at Ernesettle.

Landscape Masterplan
In progress

Chelson Meadow Solar Farm

We are working with Plymouth City Council to develop a community-owned solar farm on the old landfill site at Chelson Meadow.

Net Zero Homes
Top Hat Kings Tamerton Mockup 2023

In order to reach net-zero by 2050, we need to change the way we build new homes. Many houses being built today will need expensive retrofit work in the near future - this seems crazy!

PEC Homes was set up because we know clean energy generation is not enough to meet the challenge of climate change. We also need to reduce demand on the grid. This means more efficient housing that needs less energy to start with. We are doing this through our Community-led Affordable Net Zero Home scheme at Kings Tamerton.

By creating genuinely affordable, healthy homes in the heart of Plymouth, our community can be part of the solution to tackle fuel poverty and climate change.

What we're doing right now

Top Hat Kings Tamerton Mockup 2023
In progress

Community-Led Housing at Kings Tamerton

Our first venture into community-led housing.

Engagement
Plymouth Energy Community GROW Ready for winter event Web 1

Our family of organisations purposely uses a cooperative, member-led structure to allow community representatives to take leadership on local solutions to the climate emergency and the energy transition.

But this doesn't happen on it's own - we know that for people to get involved we need to inspire and make connections across the city. Our engagement work raises the profile of local energy solutions.

By giving local people ownership in positive solutions (like renewable energy generation and zero carbon, affordable homes) then we can make change happen locally.

  • Solar Visit 1
  • Dommoore 2023 pec torbridge web 1916
  • Clare Jess making moths

What we're doing right now

Solar Visit 1
In progress

Solar Schools

We've partnered up with the wonderful team at Earth Energy Education to offer local primary schools workshops and the opportunity to 'get hands on' with solar at Ernesettle.

PEC Pals

PEC Pals is our community volunteer programme

The PEC Archive

Completed

Special help for Ham, St Budeaux & Devonport

Completed

External wall insulation scheme

Moths to a Flame 1
Completed

Moths to a Flame

We teamed up with the Art & Energy artist collective to create a mass participation art installation

Radiator controls
Completed

SunPeople

Exploring new ways to reduce carbon emissions from heating.

Student strike 2
Completed

Youth Climate Action Workshops

A series of fun, relaxed and interactive youth workshops for 11 to 17 year olds exploring how we can change the future and look after ourselves whilst we do it!

Healthy Homes

During 2016, we used funding from the Healthy Homes Fund (British Gas Energy Trust) to help over 100 households, assessing the impact that poor housing can have on health.