Julie Ward on a new grassroots energy initiative in County Durham
As global conflicts continue to hike up energy prices ordinary people seem powerless, constantly at the mercy of the fossil fuel giants and their political masters. However, in County Durham a new grassroots initiative is taking shape which puts people and communities front and centre. The Durham Energy Council is an initiative of Threads in the Ground, an innovative cultural organisation promoting sustainable practices through community engagement. Founder, Adam Cooper, wants to be a ‘good ancestor’; his father worked in the oil business and he has a certain amount of generational guilt.
Before Thatcher destroyed the industry the Durham Coalfield was one of the top producers of coal in the UK. At its peak in the early 1900s there were 170,000 miners working in County Durham. The NUM’s fight with the government didn’t end well and mass closures ensued with a raft of social problems that continue today. Last year saw the 40th anniversary of the end of the year long strike and it was time to reassess the legacy of the coal industry and look to the future.
In November, a two day conference was held at Redhills, the home of Durham Miners Association (DMA). Titled ‘Energy Days’ and co-organised with Durham University’s Energy Institute, the conference was a mixture of science, art, history, heritage and politics. Keynote speakers included local MP Chris McDonald (Under Secretary of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), Chris Stark (Head of UK’s Mission for Clean Power) and foreign policy expert Fiona Hill, whose trajectory from Durham coal-miner’s daughter to White House adviser and Russia expert reads like a Hollywood film script. In between the expert panels, schoolchildren taught the grown-ups how to design and test model wind turbines, truly demonstrating the DMA’s motto ‘The past we inherit, the future we build”.
On Day 2, members of the Durham Energy Council took to the stage in the former Pitman’s Parliament to share their experiences of helping to write an Energy Manifesto. The council comprises 30 County Durham residents of all ages, drawn from a wide cross section of society. Working with Adam Cooper and writer Susannah Ronnie, they have explored the topic of energy from every angle, learning about different methods of energy production and the impact of the fossil fuel industry on our planet. The resulting Manifesto is a powerful document informed by this process, which sets out a series of five demands: a future-proofed sustainable energy system, fair economic benefits for communities, high-quality green jobs and accessible training, legally binding citizens’ assemblies on energy policy, and clear, transparent information on climate progress.
At the Manifesto launch event at Redhills at the beginning of June, council members quizzed Ross Lowrie, Head of Clean Energy and Environment for the North East Combined Authority, on progress to date. It was clear they had become experts and were now passionate advocates for energy democracy. Furthermore, they know the importance of holding authorities to account.
Alison Paterson, a council member who runs a Community Centre in the former pit village of Blackhall, said:
“This manifesto is about ensuring that, as we move towards cleaner energy, ordinary people are not ignored. We want a transition that creates opportunities, protects communities and gives future generations a fairer, safer world.”
It is estimated that by 2035, up to 25,000 energy jobs could be created, with plans for as many as 460 new offshore wind turbines along the North East coast. The Manifesto, sealed with coal dust, has now been sent to the region’s 100 most influential figures in the energy sector, including industry leaders, politicians, academics, and community activists. We wait with bated breath.