by Karen Arbuckle | Nov 10, 2021 | News, Top Stories
Edenderry Village Energy, NI’s newest community energy initiative exploring the potential for a community owned low-carbon heating system NICE was only too happy to offer support to residents from Edenderry Village wishing to develop a new community owned district heating scheme. Edenderry is located on the outskirts of Belfast. It is an old linen mill village beside River Lagan, approximately 200 homes, currently heated by a mix of oil and gas. The village locality and compact size present an ideal position for the community of Edenderry to utilise natural and sustainable resources available right at its doorstep. OSNI Spatial Orthophotography Map – Edenderry Village OSNI Spatial Fusion Basemap – Edenderry Village Residents see an opportunity for the village to make a just transition from fossil fuel heating to a low-carbon heating system and want to develop a district heating energy scheme that is owned, run by, and for, the community. One that will alleviate risk of fuel poverty, provide a stable and dependable source of heat that is not subject to increasing fuel prices and to eliminate need for harmful fossil fuel boilers thereby improving local air quality for example. Edenderry wanted to establish a community owned organisation to develop, build and manage a decarbonised district heating scheme for the whole village. A community renewable energy system that provides hot water and heating from a central geothermal heat pump system which produces three to four times more heat energy than the electricity input, to as many homes as possible, and which offers affordability for residents and also retains revenues within the community to reinvest in other village renewable energy...
by Karen Arbuckle | Nov 5, 2020 | News
Co-Operative Alternatives are hosting a series of webinars ‘The Transformational Power of Co-Operatives’. The second in the series focused on energy. The presentations to date and information on the further webinars left in the series can be found at this link...
by Karen Arbuckle | Nov 5, 2020 | News
As part of the process in developing a new NI Energy Strategy the Department for the Economy contracted Cornwall Insight, in partnership with Ionic Consulting, to conduct research on renewable electricity and possible future policy in Northern Ireland. The outcome of this research was originally published in July 2020 but some changes have since been made with regard to the Community Energy section. To view or download a revised version of the report click this link. Note: Section 8 specifically relates to Community Energy. If you wish to follow the progress being made towards a NI Energy Strategy you can you can email energystrategy@economy-ni.gov.uk or go to the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy 2050...
by Karen Arbuckle | Nov 5, 2020 | News
NICE held its 2020 AGM this via a Zoom webinar starting at 6:30 pm on Wednesday 28th October. Whilst we would have much preferred to meet members in person the webinar allowed an opportunity for NICE members much further afield to join and participate which was very welcome. Thanks to all members who were unable to join the meeting but who took time to vote online. Links to the presentation and reports are listed below:- Chair’s Statement AGM20 Presentation Draft Year End Accounts...
by Karen Arbuckle | Sep 23, 2019 | News, Top Stories
Re: NICE Annual General Meeting 9th October 2019 You are cordially invited to NICE Annual General Meeting 2019. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, the 9th October 2019 in the Agape Centre, 238 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GF, commencing 6.30 pm. This year we will be holding a joint AGM together with Drumlin Wind Energy Co-Operative. Some members of NICE are also shareholders in Drumlin and it is also a great networking opportunity to meet up with like minded people. We are delighted to have engaged two guest speakers for the evening from Northern Ireland Environmental Link (NIEL) and N.I. Forest Schools. We look forward to receiving an update from Craig McGuicken, CEO NIEL on our local evironmental agenda and Forest Schools will give a short presentation on the initiative they have been running in collaboration with Drumlin. AGM registrations and refreshments commence @ 6.30 pm the meeting will start at 7:00 pm SHARP beginning with the information session followed by Drumlin and then NICE business sessions. We would be grateful if you could please advise of your attendance in order to facilitate catering & other arrangements by sending us an email to shares@nicommunityenergy.org. At the AGM NICE membership is invited to discuss its achievements, the end of year accounts, the election of the Board and vote for the proposed resolutions. The draft Financial Statements to the 31st March 2019, the proposed resolutions and the annual report will be available in due course. Board election – According to NICE rules (Rule 64), each year one third of the elected Directors is required to retire and, if they decide...
by Karen Arbuckle | Oct 19, 2018 | News
PERFORMANCE ABOVE MODELLED FORECAST; ENERGY SAVINGS & CARBON FOOTPRINT REDUCTION FOR ALL MEMBER ORGANISATIONS; 4% INTEREST RETURN FOR MEMBERS; AND NICE1&2 MEMBER SHARE BUY BACK SCHEMES 2018 . NICE held their 2018 AGM on 11th October in the McSweeny Building, Ashton, Belfast. Thanks to all members who were able to attend and to those that availed of the online voting facility. The evening kicked off with an intro by NICE member organisation and AGM host, Ashton’s Facilities Manager, Richard Healey. Richard explained the McSweeny building had opened for business in May 2018 after a significant build and refurbish programme. Richard outlined Ashton’s other facilities and various services. He welcomed interest from any organisation or community group wishing to avail of their facilities or services and provided contact information to do so. The main business of the AGM then proceeded. Outsourcing payroll administration services allows employers to concentrate on their core business and frees up the business owner, human resources or accounting personnel to work more on strategic tasks that could ultimately affect your bottom line. Chair, Andy Frew gave a succinct & positive report on the past year at NICE and he made reference to the political instability and subsequent absence of future energy policy or strategy. He highlighted developments in technologies, storage, software, apps etc are ever growing at a rapid pace and NICE was not standing still as the Board continued to explore renewable energy technologies and efficiencies advances that may enhance benefits for members or might open a new initiative/project. NICE1 and NICE2, Project Managers, respectively, Cye Bannon and Karen Arbuckle, presented summarised generation information for all NICE...
by Karen Arbuckle | Oct 1, 2018 | News
You are cordially invited to our Annual General Meeting 2018. The meeting will be held on Thursday, 11th October 2018 in the Ashton Centre McSweeney Building is 29 Henry Place, Belfast, BT15 2AY from 7.00 p.m. If you wish to attend please register your attendance on https://nice-2018-agm.eventbrite.co.uk or by sending us an email to shares@nicommunityenergy.org . The AGM will start at 7.00 p.m. and the membership is invited to discuss NICE achievements, the end of year accounts, the election of the Board and vote for the proposed resolutions. An agenda for proceedings and the draft Financial Statements to the 31st March 2018, the proposed resolutions and the annual report and other information click here. Board election According to NICE rules (Rule 64), each year one third of the elected Directors is required to retire and, if they decide to do so, to seek re-election. This year, Andrew McMurray and Pat Carney are both standing down from the Board. However, we are pleased to confirm that both are standing for re-election. The current Board also asks for nominations from new members to joining the Board. Please do read the attached information on Directors roles and commitments and/or get in touch either with me or any other director if you want to know more about it. New nominations are currently open and any member interested to stand must return the Nomination Form to shares@nicommunityenergy.org by 5.00 Friday, the 5th October. If you are not able to attend in person, you have the option to express your vote online and electronic votes will be counted in addition to the votes at the AGM. Email...
by Karen Arbuckle | Jun 8, 2016 | One Planet Development
Share Offer extended to June 30th 2016 NICE is delighted to report its 2nd community share offer, launched on 25th April, has raised its minimum capital investment target of £25k! This finance is going to be put to work straight away allowing NICE to commence free solar pv installations in the next couple of weeks for at least two community organisations that wish to join NICE. Thanks to all existing and our new members for their support and contributions to this NICE2 project! We can however with further investment do more…. The Board has therefore decided to extend the share offer until 30th June 2016. This is the link for the share offer document http://www.nicommunityenergy.org/…/Community-Shares_2016_FI…. Your investment can make a significant difference to any one of the 40 plus community organizations that have expressed an interest in our project, just be sure to learn everything about basics of investing before signing up. Help us to catch those rays and reduce energy costs for our target 10 community buildings installations! 130k is our aim. Don’t forget to monitor your rеѕultѕ and evaluate оn a wееklу and quarterly bаѕіѕ Thе аmоunt оf tіmе уоu ѕреnd mоnіtоrіng your holdings іѕ entirely uр to you. Durіng trаdіng hоurѕ, thе mоvеmеnt оf іnvеѕtmеntѕ іѕ but a сlісk аwау, and you could potentially ѕіnk a gооd аmоunt of tіmе each dау tracking thе mоvеmеntѕ оf your hоldіngѕ. Few wоuld recommend ѕuсh оbѕеѕѕіvе сhесkіng іn, аnd fоr gооd reason: Bеwаrе! At thе bеgіnnіng оf уоur іnvеѕtіng career, уоu may fіnd that it’s mіldlу аddісtіvе to lоg іn tо уоur brоkеrаgе ассоunt and wаtсh ѕtосk рrісеѕ — and...
by Karen Arbuckle | May 1, 2016 | News, Top Stories
On 25th April 2016, Mornington Community Project hosted NICE2 Official Share Offer Launch High demand for low cost electricity from a host of third sector organisations has prompted Northern Ireland’s only solar energy co-operative to launch a second major Community Share offer. NICE2 Share Offer Document. Almost 40 community organisations have expressed an interest in this ambitious solar energy project that will see their electricity bills slashed in half. Northern Ireland Community Energy (NICE) today launched NICE2, its second community share offer to raise £130,000, which will enable them to install solar panels free of charge for up to ten charitable and community organisations. Last year NICE – Northern Ireland’s only solar energy co-operative – raised an impressive £150,000 with its first community share issue enabling them to install solar panels to benefit 13 organisations. One of those organisations is the Mornington Community project, hosted today’s launch. It is a member of the co-operative and benefited from free solar panels last year. Heather Carey, Board member of the Mornington Community project, said: “As Mornington continues to grow and expand, the benefits of reduced energy costs means the organisation is able to save and continue to invest in the people of the Lower Ormeau, now and for years to come.” NICE Director Karen Arbuckle said the co-operative, which was launched almost exactly a year ago, has made a big impact in the third sector. She added: “Thirty seven organisations have expressed an interest this time round. Because we were able to achieve so much last year it has given us the incentive to go ahead with another project. There is huge...
by Karen Arbuckle | Apr 4, 2016 | One Planet Development
Action Renewables Awards 2016 – NICE Won Best Community Renewable Energy Project On 31st March 2016, Director, Karen Arbuckle represented NICE at Action Renewables 2016 Awards held at Titantic, Belfast. NICE enjoyed we believe the most competitive and award winner table at the event! Karen, NICE was seated with Nigel, Lawrence & Louise, Bryson Energy; Tiziana & Rodney, Drumlin Wind Energy Co-Op and Pearce & Zoe, BCH. Despite the competiveness commaraderie and well wishes were sincere and of course there was a bit of good N.I. craic too. NICE received winning first place in the category Best Community Renewable Energy Project which was sponsored and presented by Belfast Health & Social Care Trust! A list of all the category results can be found on the Action Renewables website. Of course we couldn’t let the afternoon go without some photographs of the event. The feature photograph is of NICE ‘shareholders’ Lawrence, Karen and Nigel. The last photo is Tiziana O’Hara, Co-Operative Alternatives who provided support to NICE through the Community Shares Ready Programme funded by Building Change Trust and Karen,...
