Bee solar party gets community buzzing!

Solar panels, bees and the local community were buzzing at our Bee Solar Party in June.

There was plenty to celebrate at Ernesettle community solar array; Community Energy Fortnight, Cooperatives Fortnight, three years of clean solar energy generation at the site, 1000 home visits completed by PEC’s Energy Team in Devonport, Ham & St Budeaux saving an average of £300 per household AND the introduction of thermal bee hives to the site as part of Naturesave’s Bee Solar project.

It was a wonderful afternoon showing real people power and the strength of community cooperating to make things happen:

• land owned by Four Greens Community Trust
• a solar array owned by community investors in PEC Renewables and enabled by Plymouth City Council,
• marquee provided by Ernesettle Scouts,
• bunting borrowed from Nudge Community Builders and made by Stonehouse Timebank
• beehives provided by ethical insurers Naturesave
• native black honey bees from Mount Edgecumbe
• wonderful solar toys shared by Solar Power Education
• fascinating bee talk by local beekeeper Kathy Lovegrove
• and a wonderful bee outfit worn by a PEC Pal to celebrate Solitary Bee Week!

Partygoers were treated to tours of the solar site and the beehives, refreshments and even a special bee cake. As well as learning how energy from the sun powers solar toys, the children also had fun exploring the wide biodiversity on the site.

‘Its so important to all come together, to celebrate all that we have achieved and to continue to connect the local community with projects like this, that give us hope for a cleaner, healthier, fairer future’ said Jemma from PEC. ‘It gives us an opportunity to spread the community energy and cooperative messages far and wide and for everyone to see how they can play a part!’