We are involved in a diverse range of activities in the area of renewables.

Rooftop Solar

We have rooftop solar installed at Brookside Academy, Hugh Sexey School and Evercreech Junction. Between them they generate over 130 MWh of electricity and save around 80 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. ACE sells the solar generated electricity at a discount, so the money saved at the two schools can be poured back into other educational initiatives. The school installations also provide an important educational resource for the pupils.

Glastonbury Clean Energy Project

Funding awarded through the Glastonbury Town Investment Plan will be combined with a community share offer to allow ACE to construct a large solar array, further rooftop solar and EV charging points as part of the Glastonbury Town Deal.

Grid Flexibility

Large peaks of electricity demand, typically in the early evening, cause several problems for the grid: the required energy is generally produced from fossil fuels and expensive upgrades to the grid are needed to match the large peak demand. Shifting the time of demand for electricity to make the required energy more uniform and compatible with supply from renewables can make the system more efficient. This is particularly crucial as more transport and heating loads are put on the grid as EVs and heat pumps become more commonplace. ACE is involved in a research project, collaboratively with BWCE, to explore how demand-side flexibility can be improved.

Community Benefit Fund

Some shareholders choose to allocate the interest earned on their shares into the Community Benefit Fund. As ACE makes profits, this will go into the Community Benefit Fund. The Community Benefit Fund is used to improve the living conditions of people in poorly insulated houses, thereby resulting in lower energy use and carbon saving.