Energy Local Totnes Celebrates One Amazing Year

On 1st October, Energy Local Totnes celebrated its first birthday at the Royal Seven Stars. The energy in the room (no pun intended!) was wonderful as we caught up with familiar faces and welcomed new ones, all united by our commitment to local, affordable renewable power.

Energy Local Totnes is a community energy club that enables local households to buy and sell renewable electricity at a fair price. The journey to create Energy Local Totnes has been a true collaboration between two of Totnes’s leading community organisations. Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC) provided the local renewable generation from Totnes Weir Hydro and took on the complex task of setting up the club, in partnership with Energy Local CIC and supplier 100Green. Meanwhile, Transition Town Totnes played a key role in bringing people together, spreading the word, and building the community support that made it all possible. Together, they helped to turn a shared vision of locally generated, affordable, renewable electricity into a reality that’s now powering homes across Totnes

For those who couldn’t join us at the anniversary gathering, we’d like to share the exciting results, news and numbers discussed on the night.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

Our community energy club has delivered exactly what we set out to do – and then some! Over the past year, members enjoyed an average electricity price of just 18.6p/kWh, saving an impressive 28.5% compared to the national average of 25p/kWh. That puts us right at the top end of our target to save local households and businesses 10-30% on their energy bills.

Together, we’ve saved £6,031 on electricity bills, and here’s the really exciting part: 68% of our electricity came from right here in Totnes – mainly from the Totnes Weir Hydro scheme with a boost from local solar. This means £11,724 stayed in our local economy, supporting small local generators and keeping our community thriving.

Growing Stronger

We started the year with a handful of brave pioneers, and we’ve now grown to over 80 members! As more people join, our collective impact – and savings – will only get bigger.

More Green Power Coming

You might have noticed the hydro struggled during those dry summer months. We’ve been busy solving that by adding more solar capacity to the mix. A 35kW solar array joined us late summer, and a substantial 100kW array at Dart Marine Park will be connecting soon. This means more consistent low-cost renewable power all year round.

Free Devices Still Available

Thanks to our REDRESS Grant (running until 28th February 2026), we can offer free Consumer Access Devices (CADs) to members – for monitoring energy use in real-time and helping us to balance distribution – plus smart switches to help members make the most of low-cost renewable energy when it’s available.

Thank You

None of this would be possible without the brilliant Totnes community. Whether you’re already a member or are still considering joining, you’re part of something special – a practical, local response to the climate crisis that actually saves money while keeping our economy green.

Want to join?

Please visit www.tresoc.co.uk/elt for details.