The big idea
The way Leith is heated is going to change. We think the people who live here should own what replaces it, so the money and the decisions stay local.
Why now?
The UK and Scottish governments are working to take fossil fuels out of how we heat our homes. For houses, that mostly means heat pumps. For dense tenement areas like Leith, it means heat networks.
Heating is changing
That leaves room for communities to own and run their local energy, so it's fair and serves the people using it rather than paying dividends.
Communities can own it
After years of austerity, councils have little money or capacity to take on new jobs like running energy systems. Meanwhile, natural monopolies like water and rail are moving back into public hands.
Councils are stretched
City of Edinburgh Council is studying heat networks for Leith as part of its local heat strategy, but hasn't worked with community groups yet. Leith Energy wants to give the Council a group to talk to in Leith.
Edinburgh is already planning
Neighbours can start now
A full heat network will take years, maybe decades, to build. In the meantime, we want to bring neighbours together, a tenement or a street at a time, around local energy and looking after our buildings.
Want to help shape it?
We especially want to hear from tenement owners' associations, residents' groups, people running heat networks and businesses with spare heat.