News & insights - Page 2
15 May 2025
CEE statement as GB Energy Act gains royal assent
Energy Minister with responsibility for GB Energy, Michael Shanks, addresses Parliament
2 April 2025
Message from our Chief Executive about key changes at CEE
We have some important updates to share with our members. At the end of March, Helen Seagrave stepped down as Chair of CEE to take on an exciting new role at GB Energy, where she will continue to work with the sector. Reflecting on her time with CEE, Helen shared: “Being part of CEE for […]
26 March 2025
Funding boost for Community Energy, but more is needed
Since the election in July we have been advocating to ministers and civil servants for a seamless transition from the Community Energy Fund to the Local Power Plan that enables continued growth. On Friday, the government announced £5m of new funding for the Community Energy Fund (CEF), now rebranded as the Great British Energy Community Fund. […]
21 March 2025
Community Energy England highlights missed opportunities in welcome government funding for solar on schools and hospitals
The government has announced £180m in capital grants for rooftop solar projects on around 200 schools and 200 NHS sites. It has also extended the Community Energy Fund with an additional £5m of funding. (This is part of the ‘nearly £12 million to help build local clean energy projects’). For more details, see the government’s press […]
12 March 2025
CEE response to speculation on cuts to GB Energy budget
You may be aware that some newspapers have reported that the Treasury is considering making cuts to budgets in Great British Energy, including to local energy projects. These stories are not necessarily indicative of the views of most government and Treasury ministers and officials, as shown in a quote attributed to a government spokesperson carried in the Guardian: […]
11 February 2025
35,000 students reached in 2024 as Solar for Schools hopes to drive behaviour change through energy education
Solar for Schools, a member of CEE since 2020 and the organisation that uses solar as an education tool has recently launched its first Education Impact Report, highlighting some of our headline impacts achieved across 2024. Solar for Schools using hands-on STEM-based lessons and workshops to bring solar and renewable energy to life. One example is the […]
16 December 2024
Why Community Energy England Is Leaving Twitter/X
At Community Energy England (CEE), we represent over 310 community energy organisations and stakeholders, each dedicated to creating a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient energy future. As stewards of these values, we have reflected deeply on our continued presence on Twitter/X and have decided it is time to leave the platform. Twitter once served as […]
4 December 2024
National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) join Community Energy England as a new Principal Supporter
Written by Sarah Jeffery, Head of Strategic Customer Engagement, National Grid Electricity Distribution With the publication of the National Energy System Operator’s Advice to Government, we’ve now got our 2030 mission and, while challenging, it is deliverable. The UK Government is clear about the urgency of 2030, and the fundamental role they want community energy to […]
26 November 2024
Reflecting on the Community Energy Awards 2024
A Celebration of innovation, collaboration, and impact The Community Energy Awards 2024, hosted in Bristol on November 22, brought together over 150 attendees to honor trailblazers in community energy. Sponsored by Lendology, Triodos Bank, and ES Catapult, the event celebrated diverse achievements, from tackling fuel poverty to advancing innovative technologies. Here’s a summary of this […]
25 November 2024
Community Energy Awards 2024: Celebrating Innovation and Leadership in Bristol
On Friday, 22 November 2024, over 150 passionate advocates for sustainable energy gathered in Bristol for the much-anticipated Community Energy Awards 2024. Organised by Community Energy England and hosted by Phil Coventry, Head of Operations at CEE, the event celebrated the achievements of individuals and organisations dedicated to advancing community-driven energy solutions. Part 1: Celebrating […]
6 November 2024
Social investment sector partnership launches a new £15m fund to bolster the energy resilience of charities and social enterprises in England
Charities and social enterprises, especially those based in disadvantaged areas, struggle to find investment for energy resilience and to make the transition to Net Zero. Organisations have different reasons why they wish to undertake energy resilience measures, for example reducing carbon emissions, achieving energy cost savings, upgrading energy efficiency ratings to meet future regulations, increasing […]
5 November 2024
Chancellor announces funding for GB Energy in Budget
Last week, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first budget in 14 years. It included a fairly significant increase in funding for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for the next three years. Much of how this funding will be spent remains to be seen. However, some specific measures have been mentioned. […]
