Image: ESC

Free screening of Community Energy film

Local community benefit society Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) is holding a free screening of the film We the Power: The future of energy is community-owned at The Pig (37 White Rock, TN34 1JL) this Sunday (6 July) between 5 – 7pm. ESC’s Gabriel Carlyle explains more.

Sunday’s screening is one of scores of events happening across the country as part of Community Energy Fortnight (1 – 14 July) – the national celebration of people-powered energy.

The film, a documentary about Europe’s citizen-led community-energy movement and the visionaries lighting its way, will be followed by a discussion about local community solar projects established by Energise Sussex Coast and how people can get involved in making more of them happen. No booking or registration is required for the screening.

We the Power follows friends, families and visionaries as they break down legislative barriers and take power back from big energy companies to put it in the hands of locals and strengthen their towns.

It chronicles local cooperatives from deep in Germany’s Black Forest to the streets of ancient Girona in Spain and the urban rooftops of London, England, as they pave the way for a renewable energy revolution and build healthier, financially stable communities.

Community Energy in East Sussex

Founded in 2012, Energise Sussex Coast’s mission is to act co-operatively to tackle the climate crisis and energy injustice through community-owned renewable power and energy saving schemes.

Together with its sister project, Energise South, it has helped to install solar panels on a dozen sites across East Sussex including six schools in Hastings & St Leonards, a block of flats in Bexhill, and community centres in Tiling Green and Pebsham. These projects are currently estimated to be saving local schools a total of £82,000 a year in energy costs.

Energise Sussex Coast is currently working on new community solar projects in Battle, Bexhill, Crowhurst, Eastbourne and Rye.

The government’s Clean Power Action Plan envisions a massive expansion of the community energy sector over the next five years, creating thousands of new jobs.

A full list of Community Energy Fortnight events in East Sussex is available here.

Sunday’s screening is supported by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Other upcoming local events during Community Energy Fortnight. Image: ESC

Also in: Green Times