Community Heat Group
An ECCAN Sub-network
Launch event Mon 3 February 2025
Agenda
Introduction
ECCAN invited Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum (CHEF) and Edinburgh Building Retrofit & Improvement Collective (EdinBRIC) to support the setup of ECCAN’s “Community Heat Group” (CHG).
The aim is to be a sub-network of groups that can learn from each other and collaborate, to help communities to create Community Heat Plans.
For this exercise EALA are to work as secretariat.
Introduction
Heat is fundamental to human health and comfort. The cost of heat is often a driver of financial inequality.
Our current systems are a product of 100 years of development, largely shaped by cheap oil and gas from the North Sea since the 1970s. Our heat is predominantly provided by petrochemicals, mostly natural gas.
Heating our homes accounts for 15% of Scotland’s carbon emissions. Scotland has a target of being ‘net zero carbon’ by 2045. However, the electricity generation capacity is much smaller than what is needed to replace gas.
Government work so far
The Scottish Government (SG) published a draft Heat in Buildings Bill in 2024 which suggests many ways this will be done. One proposal is to ban new gas boilers from 2038, meaning most will have expired by 2045. A new solution will have to be in place before then.
A significant element of SG’s answer is heat networks. They published the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act in 2021.
SG had all local authorities develop Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) in 2024. They zone where heat networks will be licensed, amongst other things.
The Opportunity
The move away from gas will be the biggest change in how we heat our buildings in a century.
Our current energy supply systems create unintended financial consequences, increase financial inequality, have little local control and builds no community wealth or cohesion.
The clean energy transition is a chance to build a better system, for communities to take control, and for the proceeds of energy generation and distribution to stay in communities.
Why now?
Legislation takes time. The shape of the new energy landscape in the 2040s will come from Scottish Government work happening now.
Large physical changes like pipes in the ground will take time to install.
If we don’t shape the work being done now, yet another era of corporate-controlled for-profit energy supply will be established.
Because of the gap between now and then, interim solutions will be put in – individual ASHPs for instance.
Energy now
Energy future
Planned Activity�Spring 2025
Community Heat Group
Examples – Brighton & Rosefield
Examples – Westhall Gardens
Examples – the Dudleys
Examples – Kirk Street, Leith
Collaborate with your community �for better homes
www.edinbric.scot
What is CHEF (Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum)
Individual homes
Community choice
Heat network
Millerhill
Cockenzie Power station
CHEF in 2023 - 2024
EVENTS
GRANT BIDS / SUPPORT
NEW STRUCTURE FOR CHEF
ECCAN
Community Heat group
ECCAN
Community Heat group
Break-out groups
Questions and discussion
Wrap up & Conclusion
Contact details