The government is committed to community shared ownership playing a big part in the vast growth in renewable energy this decade, with a target of 8GW of local and community energy by 2030 under the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, and 1,000 community energy projects under GB Energy’s Local Power Plan.

GB Energy has a presumption of community ownership at the heart of all its investments, and is planning early “stewardship” investment on behalf of communities in large renewable projects.

But what exactly is shared ownership, and how do communities and community energy organisations get involved? What are the risks and benefits? What support is out there?

With experienced practitioners from the sector, we will demystify shared ownership and explain the complexities involved. We’ll show how you can help shape the right policy framework nationally, and how to make shared ownership happen for real in your community.

Speakers include:

• Hugh Goulbourne (GB Energy) on support for shared ownership.
• Paul Phare (Energy4All) on experience and learning on the different types of shared ownership.
• Harry Lopes (Eden Renewables) on developer experience in shared ownership.
• Alex Lockton (Empowered Projects) on the complexities of the shared ownership process.
• Danny Olsson (Community Energy Pathways) on their experience of enabling shared ownership.
• Katy Barney (freelance community energy practitioner, CEE) on her work on the benefits of shared ownership from the developer’s perspective.

This event is part of the Energy Learning Network, a partnership between climate solutions charity Ashden, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and leading community energy bodies in every UK nation: Community Energy England, Community Energy Scotland, Community Energy Wales and Northern Ireland’s Action Renewables. The partnership is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and is working with collaborators from across the community energy sector and beyond.