Residents from 15,000 households will be selected at random to receive a letter this month inviting them to apply to be part of the Cornwall Residents’ Energy Panel.
Anyone receiving the letter from December 27 can register their interest to join the 50-member panel.
Panellists will be tasked with meeting in February and March to learn about and debate the question: How should Cornwall transition to a net zero local energy system?
The panel is part of the government-funded Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) being led by Cornwall Council and Council of the Isles of Scilly to make the region’s energy cheaper, more secure and sustainable as well as boosting the green economy.
When finished, the plan will recommend required changes to local area energy systems and infrastructure for heating, electricity and transport.
Cornwall Council will use the outcomes of the residents’ panel’s discussions to help inform the Local Area Energy Plan.
A separate engagement session will be held for residents on the Isles of Scilly.
It is the first time a local authority undertaking a Local Area Energy Plan is using a residents’ panel as part of the process.
Cllr Martyn Alvey, Cornwall’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, said:
“Being part of the Cornwall Residents’ Energy Panel is a fantastic opportunity to help to shape the future of local energy in Cornwall.
“You don’t need any prior knowledge to take part in the panel. All we ask from you is a willingness to listen to the information presented and share your opinions with us and other residents on the panel.
“We want to hear from a real cross-section of people from across Cornwall, so if your household receives the letter then you could be the right person to take part and I’d strongly encourage you to apply.”
Selection of members of the Cornwall Residents’ Energy Panel will be run by the Sortition Foundation which specialises in recruiting diverse groups of people to take part in similar engagements with the public.
Engagement specialists Copper Consultancy and the council’s technical contractor for the Local Area Energy Plan, City Science, will be supporting the process.
A total of 15,000 addresses from across Cornwall will be randomly selected from the Royal Mail address database to receive an invitation to apply to the Cornwall Residents’ Energy Panel.
Everyone aged 16 and over who lives at an address that receives a letter can register their interest by January 14.
Panellists will then be selected to attend with the goal of ensuring the panel as a whole broadly reflects the makeup of Cornwall’s population.
The Local Area Energy Plan has been funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through the South West Net Zero Hub.
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Story posted December 15, 2023
