Households in the Duchy will be selected at random to receive a letter this month to be part of the Cornwall Residents Energy Panel.

A total of 15,000 addresses from Cornwall will be randomly selected from the Royal Mail address database to receive an invitation to apply to the Cornwall Residents’ Energy Panel.

Anyone who receives the letter from December 27 and is aged 16 and over can register their interest by January 14 to join the 50-member panel.

Panellists will be tasked with meeting in February and March to learn about and debate the question: How should Cornwall transition to a net zero local energy system?

The panel is part of the government-funded Local Area Energy Plan (LEAP) being led by Cornwall Council and Council of the Isles of Scilly to make the region’s energy cheaper, more secure, and sustainable as well as boost the green economy.

When finished, the plan will recommend required changes to the local area energy system and infrastructure for heating, electricity, and transport.

Cornwall Council will use the outcomes of the resident panel’s discussions to help inform the Local Area Energy Plan. It is the first time a local authority undertaking a Local Area Energy Plan is using a residents’ panel as part of the process.

Councillor Martyn Alvey, Cornwall’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “Being part of the Cornwall Residents’ Energy Panel is a fantastic opportunity to help shape the future of local energy in Cornwall.

“You don’t need any prior knowledge to take part in the panel. All we ask from you is a willingness to listen to the information presented and share your opinions with us and other residents on the panel.

“We want to hear from a real cross-section of people from across Cornwall, so if your household received the letter then you could be the right person to take part and I’d strongly encourage you to apply.”

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Selection of members of the Cornwall Residents’ Energy Panel will be run by the Sortition Foundation which specialises in recruiting diverse groups of people to take part in similar engagements with the public.

Engagement specialists Copper Consultancy and the council’s technical contractor for the Local Area Energy Plan, City Science will be supporting the process.

For more information about Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Area Energy Plan visit https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/laep.