2025 Award Finalist: Collaboration in Community Energy: Big Solar Co-op’s Whiteborough Project – Ethex 

The Big Solar Co-op’s Whiteborough Solar Park is a landmark example of collaboration driving the future of community energy. By bringing together Big Solar Co-op, Younity, We Have The Power, and Ethex, the partnership raised £1.8 million to turn a former coal mining site into a 3.5MW community-owned solar park – proving that large-scale, ethical, community-led renewables are possible even without government subsidies. Each partner played a vital role, from providing short-term finance and loan guarantees to mobilising ethical investors. The judges praised this as a groundbreaking model for enabling ambitious, low-carbon, community-owned solar projects, highlighting its innovative blend of mission-driven finance, co-operative governance, and ethical delivery – and its huge potential to be replicated nationwide.