Our Projects
Below is a selection of projects from the 100+ we have assisted. Download the case studies to learn more about the projects we work with and our professional partners. If there is something specific that you would like to know about, but can’t find any information on here, please get in touch.
Thistles Garden Centre
In Autumn 2018, Thistles Garden Centre recieved a grant to install an 11.73kWp roof mounted solar PV array and an 11kWp air source heat pump. The Centre provides a safe and stable environment where adults with learning disabilities are able to grow produce that is then sold to the local community.
Bowden House
Bowden House is a school in Seaford that supports students with a range of complex social, emotional and mental health difficulties. In 2018 they installed a 82kW roof mounted solar PV across several of its buildings.
For more info, download the Case Study here!
Melosheb School
In Summer 2018, Melosheb School in Zambia recieved a grant to install a 1.7kWp roof mounted solar PV array and four lithium ion batteries. The school is located in the outskirts of the captial Lusaka. This has provided electricity for the first time which has allowed for the introduction of IT at the school, and also means that staff and pupils can work at the school in a safe environment after dark.
For more info, download the Case Study here!
Plymouth Energy Community
In March 2016, Plymouth Energy Communtiy (PEC) installed a 4.1MW solar array on a derelict brownfield site. The project, Ernesettle Community Array, was built in partnership with Plymouth City Council, Communities for Renewables CIC and the Four Greens Community Trust.
Not only will the array generate enough clean energy to meet the annual needs of 1000 homes, but it will also generate an estimated £2,900,000 of additional income for PEC to help them continue to tackle fuel poverty and develop climate change projects.
For more info on the project and the support they recieved from Leapfrog Finance, download the Case Study here!
Ol Pejeta Conservancy Case Study
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a 90,000 acre, not-for-profit wildlife conservancy in Kenya. It is the largest black rhino sanctuary in east Africa and home to the last three remaining northern white rhinos. In 2016 the British Airways Carbon Fund helped fund the replacement of diesel powered water pump with a solar PV powered pump at the conservancy. The solar PV is also powering the latest TV Whitespace Technology, which allows broadband to be transmitted for up to 15km from the pump and is available for use by the local community and schools.
The solar PV also enables data on the pump and solar PV to be transmitted via GPRS, allowing issues to be identified and managed quickly. The conservancy is located in a drought prone area and the project will enable them to monitor and manage their water usage for the first time.
For more information on the project, download the case study here!
SE24 Case Study
In September 2016, Sustainable Energy for South London (SE24) installed 19.25kWp of roof mounted solar PV on two churches in South London, using documents from the Pure Leapfrog LEAP suite of template legal contracts.
The two churches, Herne Hill United Church and Herne Hill Methodist Church Hall, both provide vital services to the local community and provide a home for a wide variety of community groups including toddler groups, after school clubs and exercise classes. The solar PV will help reduce the costs of electricity and therefore the costs of running the churches.
Chelworth Solar Array Case Study
Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy (WWCE), in association with Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE), built a 1MW ground mounted solar panel array on land owned by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The array is on low grade agricultural land and financial surpluses from the project will support Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s social wellbeing programmes in the local area, and a fund to finance fuel poverty reduction projects.
The solar array is estimated to generate around 950,000kWh of electricity over its lifetime, enough to supply the equivalent of between 200 and 250 homes. Pure Leapfrog provided a loan of £100,000 to enable the project to go ahead by meeting wildlife related contingency costs that were outside the budget.
For more information, download the case study here!
OVESCO Case Study
Ovesco Limited has installed two solar arrays on schools in the Ouse Valley area using documents from the Pure Leapfrog LEAP suite of template legal contracts. The first is a 29.9kW system on Wallands School and the second is a 29.64kW system on Ringmer College.
The projects were built in partnership with the schools in question, with Ringmer College working with OVESCO on the share offer. The arrays will generate power onsite to reduce both the school’s energy needs, driving down costs for the school. The project has a further social benefit as a student from Ringmer School will be doing work experience with Ovesco.
Repowering London Case Study
Repowering London has become one of the sector’s leading organisations. They create cooperatively owned renewable energy projects whose financial revenues stay with the local communities such as with Brixton Energy. The support Pure Leapfrog provided has supported the group to become self-sustaining and deliver a range of community energy projects.
Carbon Co-op Case Study
Carbon Co-op is a community energy co-operative that promotes the development of carbon reduction measures. It focuses on making it simple, cheap and easy for households, streets and neighbourhoods to come together to retrofit their houses through the purchase of low-carbon and energy-saving equipment. As Carbon Co-op is owned by its members, any profits generated are re-invested back into the co-operative and the more people that join, the cheaper the products become.
Carbon Co-op’s unique Community Green Deal programme works with 14 homeowners occupiers around Greater Manchester to create a network of eco show houses, retrofitted to achieve emission reductions of 80%. Once a month, Carbon Co-op put member household energy efficiency questions to specialists, architects and engineers. The sessions are streamed live and videos archived for later viewing.
Pure Leapfrog helped provide the professional support that Carbon Co-op needed to get off the ground. The project involved creating the business plan and legal contracts that mirrored the principles of the Green Deal.
Ashton Hayes Case Study
Located in rural Cheshire, Ashton Hayes is a well knit community of about 1000 people that is aiming to become England’s first carbon neutral community. The project combines behavioural change, awareness raising and sharing best practice as well as introducing technology that will supply the village with renewable energy and an income stream to fund community programmes and increase local sustainability.
Pure Leapfrog provided advice and guidance at all stages of the project and links to a network of financial, legal and technical support. Over the course of four distinct phases, the network of professional support assisted with: community engagement, the DECC Low Carbon Communities Challenge project, developing commercial contracts, and provided advise on State Aid.
Fenham Swimming Pool Case Study
After being closed by Newcastle City Council in 2003, Fenham Swimming Pool was re-opened two years later as a charitable organisation with the support of the local community.
The charity continues to look for ways to reduce running costs in order to deliver a self-financing service for users of the facility and in 2012 they decided to install 53kW of solar thermal panels. This was supported by grant funding and a £16,300 loan from Pure Leapfrog and has reduced the running costs of the centre, enabling them to provide a clean and welcoming environment for the local community to swim in.
The project generates nearly £50,000 of community benefit and will save 239 tonnes of carbon over the project lifetime. The number of people using the pool per year has increased rom 76,000 to 80,000.
The funding from Pure Leapfrog will ensure that the pool can go continue serving the local community in the future. The difference the panels made to the pool bills was particularly noticeable during the winter months.
The Greenway Centre Case Study
In early 1995, an initiative to improve the management of the Greenway Centre and to maximise local use and involvement was put forward. An interim steering committee of local residents was established on 1st April 1995 with a remit to manage the centre and establish a locally elected Development Trust.
The Greenway Centre now provides the following services:
- Facilities for community groups including exercise classes, a choir and a community church.
- Community gym and fitness classes, including GP referral scheme and exercise for those on release from the local prison.
- Courses for job seekers with few qualifications
- Affordable business pods for start up businesses
The charity also works alongside statutory and voluntary organisations to improve the quality of life of residents in Southmead. The charity also promotes community cohesion by organising events such as the Southmead Festival.