Written by Susie Leppard, Head of Renewables at OVO At OVO, we believe community energy has a critical role to play in the net zero transition – not just in generating clean power, but in building public trust, engaging people in the journey, and ensuring the benefits of decarbonisation are shared fairly. Through our work setting […]
By Triodos Bank UK and Thrive Renewables At a time when the climate emergency demands urgent action, community energy offers a powerful, people-led solution. It’s about more than just generating clean electricity – it’s about empowering local communities, creating fairer systems, and ensuring the benefits of a cleaner, greener energy system are shared by all. […]
Written by Lisa Ashford, CEO of Ethex As we mark this year’s Community Energy Fortnight, I’m filled with hope and urgency. Hope—because I know that the UK’s community energy sector is brimming with potential. Urgency—because unlocking that potential hinges on getting the right funding and support in place now. Community energy is no longer a […]
Today’s Spending Review demonstrated that the government is willing to fund substantial investment in net zero. The detail of the plans and policies that will follow over the coming months must ensure that the money delivers maximum impact for communities. The Chancellor announced that the manifesto commitment for a £13.2bn Warm Homes Plan, a key […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
