The Jessie Hughes Village Hall (‘The Jessie’) has been serving the rural communities of Eaton and Rushton near Tarporley since 1926. It was re-built in 2008, financed by grant funding and contributions from the local community. The Hall is used for regular activities throughout the week (eg. Ballet, Pilates, Tae Kwon Do, Yoga, Bridge, Dance, WI, Gardening Club) and is available for private function hire. There are regular community events and activities such as quiz and film nights, fundraisers for local organisations and charities, plus ‘tea n chat’ social gatherings every month. Solar panels were installed on the roof in March 2022, helping to reduce electricity usage by approximately 23%. As excess energy is exported to the grid, a 12kWhr battery system funded via the Spacehive initiative would allow us to store excess electricity and reduce running costs even more. This will help to keep this much-loved community asset sustainable for future generations to enjoy.

What we'll deliver:

• a 12kWhr battery to store electricity generated by the solar panels

Why it's a great idea:

Whilst the solar panels are performing as expected, we are currently unable to directly utilise 80% of the photovoltaic (PV) electricity generated due to a mismatch between when the PV is generated and when the power is required, in particular, when the Hall is used in the evening. Currently, this excess energy is exported to the grid. A battery system would allow us to store some of the excess electricity for later use in the evening or the following day. Modelling suggests a further 17% of savings on our electricity usage, taking the total savings to 40%, would be achieved with the addition of a 12kWhr battery. A battery will enhance numerous economic and societal benefits, for example, reducing the Hall’s ongoing running costs, addressing the climate emergency at a local level, providing an affordable community facility for hirers, maintaining a warm and welcoming environment, and hosting a range of activities to help reduce the cost-of-living burden facing many families.

Steps to get it done:

• buy and install the 12kWhr battery

In addition, The Jessie Committee has approved funding to install 3 air-to-air heat pumps to replace our existing electric heating system. This should reduce our heating load by at least 60%. The system can generate warm air in winter and cool air during the summer, thereby providing a comfortable temperature all year round.