​As a local community development trust energy sovereignty and security has become a key operational focus of East Durham Trust. This is part of the organisations commitment to climate action and ensures that the organisation, its partners and stakeholders are working towards climate justice for our communities.

This has included the aspiration for improved energy security for East Durham through the creation of a Community Energy Organisation. The function of this body would be the acquisition of energy from local renewable sources that would be redistributed towards community benefit. 

To help achieve this agenda PowerED group has been established. This is looking at implementing this agenda for East Durham. We are currently looking for interested parties to host information sessions and events to share these ideas and assist this development group. 

Funded by the North East Local Economic Partnership we are working with a range of partners, including Durham County Council, to investigate and implement a number of community focused schemes and interventions 

Following the publication of a micro-feasibility study into the potential use of mine water heat in Horden for horticultural use it is evident that this would be an ideal pilot project through which both the establishment of a community energy organisation and its delivery could be facilitated and trialled in practice. There is already a pump in place to raise the water to the surface which is a major step already in place. Installation of a heat exchange pump at the pump head would mean that the heat in the water can be captured and transformed into energy.

The most essential aspect of the project is to place a community owned entity between the power generated by the renewable sources and its use, ensuring that the energy produced directly benefits the community of East Durham. 
​

• Creation of mine water heating scheme in Horden
• Potential to support Food growing & Business Start-up
• Micro-feasibility & scoping complete
• Direct link to PowerED
• £87k in place for full technical feasibility
• Mid term - within 2/3 years

As part of ensuring future energy use in a safe and renewable way we are investigating what a network of community batteries. This network would harvest renewable sources and retain this in a set of largescale batteries, storing this up for future use. This would be for community facilities and could offset or replace the use of energy from the national grid. 
​

• Network of community batteries linked to renewable sources
• Energy for community facilities
• Future vision
• Scoping required
• Direct link to PowerED
• Long term - within 5/8 years