• LEO local energy oxfordshire

    Project LEO shortlisted for Network Awards 2020

    We’re very excited to announce that Project LEO has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Network Awards 2020, within the category of ‘Partnership Initiative of the Year’. The Network Awards celebrate individuals and organisations that have demonstrated exceptional performance in the energy industry, and are shaping the energy system of tomorrow. Winners are announced…
    27 January 2020
  • Ground mount solar in a field

    Low Carbon Hub ground mount solar survey

    We want to hear your thoughts on ground mount solar in Oxfordshire We are facing a climate emergency, which demands that we transition to zero carbon as soon as possible. Energy plays a huge part in this. How we achieve this is still under debate – but it’s clear that we must: reduce energy demand…
    21 January 2020
  • Oxford’s climate emergency – and the role of the Low Carbon Hub

    In January 2019 the Oxford City Council officially declared a climate emergency in Oxford. In April they announced that Oxford would hold the UK’s first citizens assembly, to discuss how we should address the climate crisis within Oxford. This citizens assembly was held over two weekends at the Said Business School, the first in September 2019…
    20 January 2020
  • Charlie Luxton presents at the Low Carbon Hub Inspired by Communities event 2019

    Our Hub highlights of 2019

    As 2019 comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on our Hub highlights of the year – it’s been a big one! Community Energy Fund 2019 We re-opened our Community Energy Fund for 2019, welcoming over 200 new investors and raising a huge £734,900, which is now already supporting community energy – increasing our portfolio…
    16 December 2019
  • Cosy Homes Oxfordshire logo

    An update on Cosy Homes Oxfordshire – our home retrofit pilot project

    In February 2019 we announced that Low Carbon Hub were part of a consortium (alongside RetrofitWorksand National Energy Foundation) which had won a bid with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industry Strategy (BEIS) to develop a home retrofit scheme in Oxfordshire. This bid became Cosy Homes Oxfordshire –a home retrofit service aiming to help…
    16 December 2019
  • Work in the building industry and interested in retrofit projects?

    Do you have a background in the building industry? If so, would you like to train and become a Retrofit Coordinator? Cosy Homes Oxfordshire is a partnership project being delivered by Low Carbon Hub, RetrofitWorks and the National Energy Foundation to help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes. It’s a scheme which is new…
    10 December 2019
  • An aerial view of the Wood Centre for Innovation, a 3D illustration.

    We’ve moved office

    Over the past eight years, the Low Carbon Hub has more than trebled in size. At its smallest, our team consisted of 3 members of staff and we have grown to our current number of 16! We have also increased the number of our investor members to over 1000, a number which we hope will…
    26 November 2019
  • Row of buildings on Oxford's Broad Street

    The role of home energy efficiency in our climate emergency

    Home energy consumption accounts for around 30% of total energy used in the UK, and around 20% of our total carbon emissions. According to Ofgem, the average UK home with a medium energy consumption uses 12,000 kWh of gas per year and 3,100 kWh of electricity per year. That represents total carbon emissions of 3,067kg…
    25 November 2019
  • The 29 schools have a total annual generation of 1,362,415 kWh. This is equivalent to 15 million kettles being boiled, 45.5 slices of toast being made, 12 million hours of TV being watched, or 7,500 fridges being powered for a year.

    Our 29 solar schools – an update

    Over the past eight years, the Low Carbon Hub has partnered with 29 schools to install 5,647 solar PV panels. Our Solar Schools service offers schools a comprehensive solar installation service to power your schools with community-owned, discounted green electricity. Schools signing up for a free solar rooftop survey can apply for a grant to…
    19 November 2019
  • Solar panels on the rooftop of CTG in Banbury, owned and managed by Low Carbon Hub

    CTG solar roof expansion

    In November 2019 we installed an extension to our existing solar project on the roof of UTC Aerospace Systems CTG in Banbury, Oxfordshire. The background This solar roof array was already our largest rooftop solar install, and thought to be the UK’s largest community-owned rooftop solar array. When first installed, there were 2590 solar pv…
    18 November 2019
  • Sandford Hydro

    MSc Students visit Sandford Hydro

    On 17 October a group of Oxford University master’s students visited Sandford Hydro as part of their Energy Systems course. The group received a tour from Harry Orchard, our Operations and Maintenance Assistant, and were shown the inner workings of the electric hydro plant. They went inside the control room where it’s possible to see the overview…
    31 October 2019
  • Charlie Luxton presents at the Low Carbon Hub Inspired by Communities event 2019

    Inspired by Communities event: a roundup

    We would like to say a massive thank you to all who came to the ‘Inspired by Communities’ event prior to the Low Carbon Hub Joint AGM on 7 October and who helped to make it such a genuinely inspiring experience. The room at the Town Hall was full with many of our CIC Community…
    16 October 2019