Energy
PLEASE NOTE: the information here is NOT aimed at providing detailed and technical plans for, say, installing solar or heat pumps, etc. The purpose of the information here is to link you up to information and ideas that may prompt you (even inspire you), to want to do something to reduce yours or your community's use of energy produced by the burning of fossil fuels.
Somerset Council’s Mythbusting Energy Factsheet
WNCAN review: This Factsheet gives brief and clear answers to many of the numerous questions people have about renewable energy issues. It is referenced throughout with the sources of the information so you can check them out yourself. Included are Solar PV (both on roofs and on land), Electric Vehicles (EVs), Onshore Wind Power, Biofuels, Heat Pumps plus a few others.
A consideration of some of the main issues in whether to get solar panels on a property
- 9 myths about solar panels, debunked
The guide has been produced by Right Move, the house buying and selling company. The page is not dated, but it does give reasonably detailed answers to some of the statements that are made about solar panel installations that are not uncommon in the generally pro fossil fuel media.
What is life like in the shadow of solar farms?
(credit: andreas-gacklhorn)
A BBC article from 6 May 2025 about local people's opinion on a number of solar farms in the surrounding countryside very near the Leicestershire market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Community Energy England
is the national network and voice for the community energy sector. We bring people and organisations together to share learning, overcome challenges, and celebrate success. Our stakeholder newsletter reaches more than 2,000 individuals nationwide, helping everyone stay connected to the latest developments shaping community energy in England.
You may also like to explore their National Community Energy Map
The map showcases projects across England and highlights the impact of community-led energy initiatives. Projects are colour coded by technology type for easy of viewing, and you can select for political boundaries including MP constituencies and Local authority boundaries. CEE will add your project if you contact them.
As of December 2025, this is the map for West Northamptonshire. Not a lot there.
Solar PV panels planning permission: A comprehensive guide for commercial properties
This guide provides a detailed overview of solar PV planning permission requirements, focusing on commercial and industrial contexts, to help property owners and energy managers navigate the process effectively.
Author - Solar Power Portal Staff January 12, 2026 5 Min Read
How energy is generated for us all to use is at the core of Climate Change. The main way humans have been doing this for centuries is by burning wood, and for the last 300 years coal, gas and oil. Burning these fuels emits large amounts of gases that warm the atmosphere. If we continue to do this the Earth will become too hot for humans to live. The sane way to get energy for our needs is to generate it from renewable sources - sunlight, wind, and water.
This Energy page has information about renewable energy from various sources and links to explore, some with a short WNCAN 'review'
Ideas for Action:
Think how you might be able to use some of this information.
Countering Anti Renewable Energy Opinion or Media
Somerset Council who produced the factsheet referenced above also did a paper on their rationale in which they clearly decided to say something quite direct about the campaign that some parts of the UK media and social media 'influencers' have waged against Renewable Energy. In this paper, they write: "Our transition to renewable energy is happening at pace and, as with any emerging technology, there is often a lack of clarity around the facts, environmental impact, risks, payback periods and so on. Sometimes this manifests as misinformation which is used to resist the transition. The Energy Factsheet aims to counter this by providing critical support and guidance for council members, particularly those sitting on Planning committees, in responding to questions from the public. It is intended as a live document, to be amended and extended as we learn more in this exciting period of change towards a greener energy system."
