Villagers in Humshaugh have been given an update on a community energy project that aims to bring greater energy independence and lower bills.
Residents gathered over the weekend to learn about early findings from the HELM project (Humshaugh Energy Local Management), which is looking at how the community can reduce its reliance on the national grid.
Monitors were installed throughout the parish in November, recording patterns of electricity use in both homes and community buildings.
The goal was to find opportunities where energy could be used more efficiently and make the best use of local generation.
The HELM initiative is managed by Northern Powergrid, funded by Ofgem, and delivered by the global energy environment agency, Ricardo.
Olivia Carpenter-Lomax from Ricardo said: "This is an example of where communities could be cropping up all over the place that are managing more actively their energy use and its demand and generation.
"They will be able to take more control of their own energy supply and really feel that connection to how they are using energy and how to do that in a better and cleaner way.
"The idea around HELM is that energy can be shared around the community.
"If you are generating your own electricity and using more of that in the community, there should definitely be ways to cut bills."
Early findings from the study show increased electricity use after midnight when electricity is cheaper, as well as typical peaks during the early evening.
The project is part of a broader push for greater energy independence in Humshaugh.
The village has already secured planning permission for a solar farm, and it is hoped that HELM will help the community store and use solar energy when it’s most needed.
More than a sixth of residents have signed up to support the scheme.
David Still of Humshaugh Net Zero said: "We’re finding out how buildings use electricity and then how can we share the power throughout the village.
"The project is gathering information, and at the end of the project, which is less than one year, we’ll not have all the answers or solutions, but we will have a lot of knowledge to share with people and decide what can happen in the future.
"Change takes time, and I’m not expecting things to change overnight, but I do see the direction of change being really important, and if we make that happen, we will be making a difference not just to Humshaugh but to other communities around us, which will become more energy efficient."
Residents have been compensated for taking part in the project, and some have donated their payments to community causes.
In total, more than £2,500 has been given to Humshaugh First School, the Village Hall, the Playing Fields Trust, and West Northumberland Food Bank in Hexham.
Hexham MP Joe Morris, who attended the public meeting, said: "I think Humshaugh will offer a real model that can be followed but also adapted for other communities in slightly different positions.
"No one community’s model can be just picked up and dropped elsewhere, but this is a really good starting point for other communities looking to decarbonise, looking at how they get on to low-carbon sources of energy.
"The Humshaugh model should be celebrated and shared as widely as we can.
"I’ve raised it in Parliament but it’s something that needs to be looked at in terms of how it could be adapted to other communities across the county, but also across the country."
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