Manchester Carbon Co-op wins social innovation prize

Manchester Carbon Co-op has been awarded a place at a national event for social innovation in London in December. With nearly twice as many votes as its competitor proposals, the Carbon Co-op will benefit from SiCamp's efforts to unite “talented software developers and designers with social innovators to build effective web-based solutions to real social problems.”
The Carbon Co-op is a planned consumer co-operative, proposed for South Manchester, which will link up people who want to buy low carbon technologies like solar panels, insulation and energy meters, cutting the cost by achieving economies of scale in purchasing and installing the kit. It's hoped that as well as bringing individuals together, social housing providers may also be interested in rolling out the technology to low income households, helping to combat fuel poverty as well as climate change.
The Co-op was based on the solar clubs and environmental bulk-buying co-ops which have formed in the USA and Japan.
Jonathan from the Carbon Co-op will be attending the Social Innovation Camp and will be keeping a blog on his website. Other organisations involved include URBED.