The Horizon Energy Cooperative has been developed as a concept by the EIC Partnership as a solution to address some of the key issues facing social housing providers and the most vulnerable members of society at risk from fuel poverty.

The rationale behind delivering decentralised power generation as a microgrid is not new, neither is that of a cooperative.

However the combination of the two, coupled with recent advances in technology, the low carbon agenda, the first UK feed-in-tariffs and energy security issues have generated high levels of support from regional and national organisations as well as regulatory bodies.

SOCIAL HOUSING
Social housing is housing that is let at low rents and on a secure basis to people in housing need. It is generally provided by councils and not-for-profit organisations such as housing associations. Social housing accounts for nearlt 2.5million homes in the UK, with approximately 10% in the Northwest of England.

FUEL POVERTY
In the UK, Fuel poverty is said to occur when in order to heat its home to an adequate standard of warmth a household needs to spend more than 10% of its income on total fuel use. This definition is essentially that first established by Dr Brenda Boardman in her book entitled Fuel Poverty, first published in 1988.