energyplains
Cookie Policy
This policy explains the cookies and similar browser storage used by the Energyplains website, the public project explorer at /data/ and Site Intelligence. It explains the distinction between optional analytics and storage used to provide a service you request.
Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small records that a website stores in your browser. Local storage holds information in the browser without necessarily sending it with each web request. Session storage usually lasts for the browser tab or session. This policy covers these technologies where they are used to store or access information on your device.
A persistent cookie can remain after you close your browser until it expires or you delete it. A service can update a cookie’s expiry when you return, depending on its settings. Data already sent to a provider has its own retention arrangements; deleting a browser cookie does not automatically delete that data.
Your choices and essential storage
You can accept or reject optional statistics through the website consent controls and change your choice later. The main website and public project explorer at /data/ use the same WordPress consent decision. Moving between them does not itself require a new choice. A missing, expired or outdated choice may require you to choose again.
The project explorer checks for a valid statistics choice before loading its Google Analytics tag. If it cannot confirm that choice, its analytics remains off. Rejecting analytics does not prevent public project browsing, downloads or a site assessment. Withdrawing consent stops future consent-based analytics; it does not automatically erase information already collected.
We use necessary storage to remember your choices and provide functions you request, including authentication and temporary assessment drafts. This storage serves those specific purposes and does not authorise unrelated analytics or advertising. Some records are created only when you use the relevant feature.
Energyplains currently asks for permission for optional Google Analytics. The functional storage described below operates separately from that statistics choice.
Website consent storage
Complianz records the consent categories and policy version. The WordPress Consent API also communicates category choices to compatible plugins. These records support the same consent decision; the project explorer does not create a separate analytics-consent decision. The names below describe the configured storage families; the entries present depend on your choices and the features used.
| Storage and purpose | Where and category | Duration |
| cmplz_* consent cookies, including cmplz_statistics, cmplz_policy_id and cmplz_banner-status; functional, preferences, marketing and service-choice entries where used. Remember categories, policy version and banner state. | WordPress website and shared consent checks for /data/. Necessary consent management. | 365 days under the current Complianz setting, unless changed or removed earlier. Saving a new choice can renew the period. |
| wp_consent_* cookies, such as wp_consent_statistics. Communicate consent categories to compatible WordPress plugins. | WordPress website. Necessary consent management. | 30 days under the current WordPress Consent API setting, unless updated or removed earlier. |
You can review and change the optional categories using the consent controls on this page. Functional storage needed to remember your choice remains active.
Optional Google Analytics
With your statistics choice enabled, Google Analytics 4 helps us understand which pages and features are useful. Depending on the enabled measurement features, this includes page views, scrolling, outbound clicks and downloads. Google processes online identifiers, referral information, device and browser characteristics, approximate location and measured interactions. These identifiers should not be treated as necessarily anonymous.
| Cookie and purpose | Where and category | Duration |
| _ga distinguishes browser visitors using an identifier. | Main website and /data/. Optional statistics supplied by Google. | Up to 2 years using Google’s standard lifetime, subject to browser or configured limits and renewal on visits. |
| _ga_YH6CCNYLHH maintains session state for the Energyplains GA4 stream. The suffix identifies the stream. | Main website and /data/. Optional statistics supplied by Google. | Up to 2 years using Google’s standard lifetime, subject to browser or configured limits and renewal on visits. |
The two-year periods describe Google’s standard cookie lifetimes. Cookie expiry can refresh on visits; browser restrictions or configured limits can shorten it. The separate GA4 event-data retention period is up to 14 months. That period does not set cookie expiry, and standard aggregated reports have separate retention behaviour. The user-data retention clock is not reset simply because the same user returns.
The WordPress website uses Google Consent Mode with default consent states set to denied. The Google tag can load before a statistics choice is given; denied consent is not the same as blocking every Google script or technical request. The project explorer waits for a confirmed statistics choice before loading its analytics tag and disables Google signals and advertising-personalisation signals. Site Intelligence is not currently included in this GA4 integration.
Google explains its analytics cookies at https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11397207 and its processing at https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Site Intelligence browser storage
Site Intelligence uses the following local storage for assessment drafts and secure account access. Local storage has no automatic browser expiry equivalent to a cookie expiry date; application checks and authentication validity determine how it can be used.
| Storage and purpose | Where and category | Duration |
| energyplains.screening.pending-draft.v2. Holds the selected site, questionnaire answers, name, email and optional phone during verification and submission. | Site Intelligence local storage. Temporary draft for the requested service. | Valid for 1 hour after saving. Removed when the application next checks an expired draft, after successful submission or by the relevant reset. An unopened browser is not erased automatically at the hour. |
| sb-<project-ref>-auth-token. Stores session and authentication information. A technical anonymous session can precede email verification. | Site Intelligence local storage. Authentication and access for the requested service. | Can persist between browser sessions until sign-out, application cleanup or manual removal. Server expiry and revocation determine whether a stored session remains valid. |
| PKCE code-verifier records associated with sb-<project-ref>-auth-token. Link the sign-in request to its secure verification exchange. Names can include a flow suffix. | Site Intelligence local storage. Temporary sign-in verification. | Removed during the verification-code exchange or sign-out cleanup. An abandoned entry may remain until later cleanup, replacement or manual removal. The short validity of a sign-in code is separate from this local record’s lifetime. |
On a shared device, sign out where available and clear relevant browser storage when you finish. Removing local storage does not delete a submitted assessment or close your account. A session can become invalid before its local record is removed. Contact info@energyplains.co.uk about information held on our servers or account deletion.
Maps and other website features
Site Intelligence requests map tiles from Ordnance Survey to display the selected area. The provider receives the location and technical request information needed to deliver the map. Your browser can cache downloaded resources according to its own settings and the response headers; this cache does not have one fixed policy-wide lifetime. Map requests are separate from optional Google Analytics. Other hosting and security requests are explained in the Privacy Policy.
Changing settings and contacting us
Use the consent controls on this page or the website’s Manage consent control to review your statistics choice. The public project explorer also provides an Analytics preferences link to this page. You can block or remove cookies and local storage in your browser settings. Removing a consent record may cause you to be asked again; blocking authentication or draft storage may interrupt sign-in or an assessment. Rejecting statistics alone does not block those services.
Charles Fowler trading as Energyplains is responsible for this policy. Contact info@energyplains.co.uk with questions. Our Privacy Policy explains personal information, service providers, international processing, retention, your rights and how to complain: https://www.energyplains.co.uk/privacy-policy/.
We update this policy when our services or storage change. The date and version identify the current wording. Where a change requires a new consent choice, we will request it through the consent controls before the relevant optional use.