The Community Renewable Energy (CoRE) Project is one of several projects funded by the Ayrshire Growth Deal.
CoRE is funded through the Ayrshire Growth Deal with £17 million of funding from the UK Government and £7.5 million from East Ayrshire Council. The project team are also identifying and submitting external match-funding applications, to complement and add-value to existing funding.
CoRE aims to showcase how a green recovery can transform our rural towns and villages and make our communities better connected, healthier and improve the standard of living, through a just transition, whilst supporting the creation of long-term sustainable jobs.
CoRE's revised project aims and focus
Over the last three years, East Ayrshire, like the rest of the UK, has faced unprecedented challenges as a result of global events, such as the COVID pandemic and cost of living crisis. For certain groups and individuals, the social and economic effects of these challenges has been more profound, which has increased levels of inequalities between our communities.
The CoRE project presents a unique opportunity to address two of the greatest challenges facing our communities, through tackling the ongoing energy crisis and supporting a just and equitable transition towards net-zero.
Feedback from academic and industry partners has highlighted that there is regional skills shortage, which is a barrier to economic growth and is preventing East Ayrshire residents from gaining sustainable employment within the sector. This also creates skills capacity issues for our local businesses, making delivery of our net-zero ambitions more difficult.
A primary focus of the CoRE project will therefore be to maximise the socio-economic and community health and well-being benefits from delivery of the project.
We are working closely with educational, academic and employability partners to:
- maximise skills development
- vocational training and STEM education opportunities for our communities
- address regional skills gaps
- ensure local people are positioned to benefit economically from the net-zero transition
- support the creation of career pathways from our schools into further education and green employment
Four key project aims have been set to reflect CoRE’s focus:
- Ensure our communities have the skills and qualifications to contribute to the low carbon sector supply chain.
- Help communities make affordable choices to heat and power their homes, to tackle fuel poverty.
- Make places which benefit our communities’ health and wellbeing.
- Make homes and buildings more sustainable and comfortable for people to live and work in.
Scope of CoRE
The current approved Outline Business Case (OBC) for CoRE includes the construction of a Centre of Excellence facility in Knockroon Cumnock, two Demonstrator Houses (within the site of the Centre of Excellence) and a programme of demonstrator projects over the lifespan of the project – until 2030.
An original design for the Centre of Excellence facility was completed and planning permission approved in June 2022. However due to rising construction inflation costs and interest rates the Centre can no longer be built to its original specification and therefore a re-scoping and re-design process is required.
It was originally intended that the primary function of the Centre was to be a renewable energy research facility. However to best address the challenges facing our communities and businesses, it is anticipated that the primary function of the Centre will now be as a skills, training and STEM education Centre to address the regional skills shortage in the renewables sector and create a pipeline of employment opportunities for our communities.
The project team are currently engaging with local businesses and partner organisations to determine the revised scope and design of the Centre.
The Outline Business Case also includes construction of two net-zero carbon Demonstrator Houses, which will be built on the site of the Centre of Excellence; one house will be for the public/local communities to see and try the new renewable and sustainable technologies. This would showcase how these low carbon technologies would look, feel and operate within a home. The second house will be used for training and research purposes.
CoRE will also deliver a programme of demonstrator projects, which will aim to help our communities and businesses to adapt and respond to climate risks and sustainability challenges. The projects will aim to showcase how critical areas of community infrastructure, such as housing, transport and energy, can successfully transition to net-zero, whilst supporting a just transition through ensuring support reaches those who need it most. The projects will provide solutions to help overcome challenges preventing the transition to net-zero, to inform wider regional and national approaches to achieve carbon emissions reduction targets.
Project governance
A CoRE project governance structure has been established, which aligns with the Ayrshire Growth Deal governance and has secured partner organisations participation in development of the project.
The following diagram provides an overview of the CoRE partnership governance structure (PDF 87 KB). The outputs of the partnership governance activity is reported to the Ayrshire Economic Joint Committee and Partnership Board
Partner organisations
Participation of over fifty partner organisations has been secured to the project. The diverse range of partner’s experience, knowledge and technical expertise has been essential in driving the project forward across all work streams.
The following is a list of partner organisations inputting to the project.
Planned demonstrator projects
A programme of demonstrator projects will be undertaken during the lifetime of CoRE (until 2030) and these will help our communities and businesses transition to a low carbon future and contribute to the Scottish Government’s climate change targets.
The projects will aim to demonstrate how key sectors, such as housing, transport and energy can successfully transition to net-zero. The learnings and outcomes gained through delivery of the demonstrator projects will help to inform development of wider regional and national net-zero approaches.
A phased approach has been adopted for development of the demonstrator projects, with an initial programme of early pathfinder projects to be followed by a further phase of larger scale energy infrastructure projects.
Proposed pathfinder projects
The five current proposed pathfinder projects are as follows.
Barshare housing retrofit
The project will reduce fuel poverty and emissions through whole-house retrofit and heat decarbonisation. The performance and cost effectiveness of tiered levels of retrofit will be applied and evaluated to a representative sample of property archetypes.
The outcome will help guide the most appropriate retrofit pathway to transition our wider housing stock.
Rankinston monitoring and evaluation
Rankinston will be a priority area to support through the CoRE project. The long-term project will aim to help the community to become more energy self-sufficient, through providing renewable energy generation for the village through wind energy generation.
The project will also provide sustainable transport solutions and improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock through housing retrofit. The first phase of the project will be to appraise the renewable energy options and monitor and evaluate existing building stock conditions and energy efficiency ratings.
Electric vehicle car club
The car club will be delivered in partnership with Coalfields Community Transport and will provide an accessible electric car club to help our rural communities become better connected.
The project will help remove barriers and misconceptions of electric vehicles, through providing our communities with the opportunity to experience the benefits of the technology first-hand.
Public charge point infrastructure will be improved through construction of car charging hubs where the vehicles will be stationed.
Cumnock active travel
This pathfinder incorporates the following three smaller projects:
- Accessible e-bike club for disabled users:
The project will provide e-bikes which are adapted to users specific disability needs. The project will offer training and cycling opportunities to a vulnerable group who would otherwise be unable to engage in cycling, without access to specialised equipment and training. The physical and mental health benefits of participants will be monitored for the duration of the project.
- SMART street lighting with high speed mobile phone network:
This project aims to improve active travel infrastructure, digital connectivity, and overall sense of community safety in a poorly lit area.
- Behavioural change initiative:
Building on ‘journey to the Jupiter’, encourage Cumnock town centre residents and businesses to actively travel to school and work one day per week – the health and well-being benefits of participants will then be monitored and assessed.
Equiflex flexible energy
This project is fully funded through the Strategic Investment Fund. The project is being delivered with Scottish Power Energy Network, Energy Action Scotland, Fraser-Nash Consultancy and University of West of Scotland.
The project will develop flexible energy solutions to reduce the energy bills and fuel poverty levels in deprived households. Examples of flexible energy solutions include increasing user’s energy consumption through SMART devices at non-peak times when energy from the grid is cheaper and turning down energy usage at peak times when energy is most expensive.
The intended outcomes of the project will include developed flexible energy solutions which can be rolled out to wider households and an engagement toolkit to help engage with and secure participation from the targeted demographic.
Centre of Excellence
The project team are in the process of conducting a partnership consultation strategy to confirm the planned deliverables for the Centre.
It is anticipated that this will become a multi-purpose Centre which delivers across the following four outcomes:
Skills, training and STEM education
It is anticipated that the primary function of the Centre will be to address the regional skills gap in the renewable and sustainability sectors, through delivering re-training and skills development opportunities. The centre support regional STEM education provision to create and develop career pathways, from schools, into further education or vocational training and the industry.
Research development and innovation
Activity to include the development of renewable and low-carbon solutions which can be implemented locally to benefit our communities.
Community hub
Delivery of free and impartial energy saving advice and funding support. Delivery of on-site active travel and sustainable travel opportunities.
Industry and small to medium enterprise (SME) support
Development of a regional trusted trader style network of renewables installers. Access to dedicated workshop space, cutting edge industry technology and funding and accreditation advice to help our businesses maximise competitiveness.
Timescales for project delivery
Projected timescales for delivery of the project are as follows:
Demonstrator Projects:
- Delivery of first phase pathfinder projects: August 2024 to December 2025.
- Delivery of second phase energy infrastructure projects: November 2025 to December 2030.
Centre of Excellence Facility:
- Partnership consultation strategy to determine partnership demand and requirements for Centre of Excellence: July 2024 to December 2024.
- Professional re-design of the Centre of Excellence facility, which is informed by outcomes of consultation strategy: January 2025 to December 2025.
- Construction of the Centre of Excellence: January 2026 to March 2027.
- Opening of facility: April 2027.
CoRE contribution to Cumnock
CoRE will bring many opportunities to Cumnock and the surrounding areas including the following.
Education
The project will increase the offering of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education within Ayrshire and will work in partnership with The King’s Foundation, Ayrshire College and all East Ayrshire schools in developing STEM programmes from early years to further education. It will also encourage both national and local businesses to offer apprenticeships and work experience within the renewable energy sectors to the young people of Ayrshire.
Industry and academic partners will support the delivery of STEM education and employability advice from the Centre, raising awareness of future employment opportunities in the renewables sector. The initiatives will help our young people gain the education and skills needed to thrive in this growing industry.
Employment opportunities
New business and industry will be attracted to the area, bringing job opportunities for our communities. The project will help existing businesses adapt and grow within the low carbon sector, enhancing the capabilities of the supply chain.
The Centre will support small and medium sized enterprises to transition to low carbon whether it be in redesigning the products they manufacture, the processes they deliver, their physical environment or their daily operating activities.
Delivery of CoRE’s demonstrator projects will also create new employment opportunities, by involving the local supply chain in the delivery of these projects, we can ensure that the benefits of the initiatives are shared by the community.
Tackling fuel poverty
CoRE will help to tackle levels of fuel poverty in our communities. Housing retrofit demonstrator projects will make our homes more energy efficient, reducing their energy demand and lowering energy bills. Renewable energy generation demonstrator projects will help our communities to become more energy self-sufficient, reducing reliance on the grid.
Through the provision of sustainable employment, training, and upskilling opportunities, CoRE will drive economic growth, help tackle deprivation, and enhance overall living standards in our communities.
Sustainable travel
The project will enhance active travel opportunities, whilst also encouraging low-carbon transport. Active travel demonstrator projects will include an accessible e-bike club, with specialist bikes adapted to the user’s disability requirements, installation of SMART street lighting in a poorly lit area and a behavioural change initiative to encourage active travel.
Sustainable travel support will include delivery of a community electric car club, helping our rural communities to become better connected. The project will also explore solutions to support decarbonisation our heavier fleet vehicles, such as generation of green hydrogen using curtailed wind energy which can be used to power heavier vehicles.
Community benefits
The community benefits of CoRE are as follows:
- £24.5 million allocated to the CoRE project with opportunities to bring additional funding to the East Ayrshire area
- delivery of a programme of demonstrator projects which tackle fuel poverty, create local jobs and training opportunities and improve communities’ health and well-being
- joint approach by academics, businesses and the Council to ensure a 'just transition' utilising the new technologies and reducing their own carbon footprint
- new business and industry will be attracted to the area, with new job opportunities created for local people
- business diversification promoted for low and zero carbon technologies
- STEM education, training and up-skilling opportunities for our communities to help develop the local renewable supply chain and create employment pathways from schools through to industry
- community access to a range of low-carbon sustainable transport opportunities, to help our rural communities to become better connected and reduce our reliance on emissions vehicles
- opportunity to reuse vacant and derelict land for community renewable energy projects
- local communities can access the Centre of Excellence for a range of support and advise on the net-zero transition, to help with develop local community owned energy projects and to identify and developing applications for match funding opportunities
- improved digital infrastructure, such as development of a high-speed mobile network which is available to the public
Useful links
The project will work in partnership with University of Strathclyde's Energy Systems Research Unit and the Energy Technology Partnership.