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| coen:community_energy [2025/12/05 10:04] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1 | coen:community_energy [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
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| # Community energy | This topic is part of [[gt:community|Community & culture]], [[gt:economy|Economy & finance]] and [[gt:power|Power & heating]]. |
| | ====== Community energy ====== |
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| ## What is community energy? | ===== What is community energy? ===== |
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| It's 'power to the people' - literally, power (and sometimes heat) generation owned by groups of ordinary people. The basic idea of community energy is easy to grasp, but how it's done exactly depends on local and national legislation / regulations at the time. | It's 'power to the people' - literally, power (and sometimes heat) generation owned by groups of ordinary people. The basic idea of community energy is easy to grasp, but how it's done exactly depends on local and national legislation / regulations at the time. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| The [Low Carbon Hub](http://www.lowcarbonhub.org/) is installing 1MW of solar pv on 18 schools in Oxfordshire. | _The [Low Carbon Hub](http://www.lowcarbonhub.org/) is installing 1MW of solar pv on 18 schools in Oxfordshire._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Blades being attached to Scotland's first 100% co-operatively-owned wind turbine, owned by [Dingwall Wind Co-op](http://dingwallwind.org.uk/). | _Blades being attached to Scotland's first 100% co-operatively-owned wind turbine, owned by [Dingwall Wind Co-op](http://dingwallwind.org.uk/)._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Woodchips being deliverd to the biomass boiler installed by [Woolhope Woodheat Co-op](http://woolhopewoodheat.org.uk/) at Canon Frome Court community in Herefordshire. | _Woodchips being deliverd to the biomass boiler installed by [Woolhope Woodheat Co-op](http://woolhopewoodheat.org.uk/) at Canon Frome Court community in Herefordshire._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## What are the benefits of community energy? | ===== What are the benefits of community energy? ===== |
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| It means more renewable energy - which means lower carbon emissions and less pollution. | It means more renewable energy - which means lower carbon emissions and less pollution. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| Artists impression of a hydro-scheme to be installed on the River Don by [Sheffield Renewables](http://www.sheffieldrenewables.org.uk/). | _Artists impression of a hydro-scheme to be installed on the River Don by [Sheffield Renewables](http://www.sheffieldrenewables.org.uk/)._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## What can I do? | ===== What can I do? ===== |
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| ### Starting a scheme | ==== Starting a scheme ==== |
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| First, chat to other local people who may want to do it with you. Then find a local group and go and chat with them. They may need a hand, in which case you'll get valuable experience, and they'll certainly be able to give you good advice to get you started. They can also tell you if there's any start-up support in your part of the country. [Community Energy England](http://communityenergyengland.org/) can provide more information and point you in the right direction; and [here's](http://www.sharenergy.coop/start-a-project/) a guide to starting a community energy project from Sharenergy. There's also [Renew Wales](http://www.renewwales.org.uk/) and [Local Energy Scotland](http://www.localenergyscotland.org/) who can put you in touch with people local to you who can give lots of useful advice. Look at other groups' share offer documents - their core business model will be in there, and it will all be very useful to look over. You need to get the latest financial, technical and business information, as it goes out of date so quickly. | First, chat to other local people who may want to do it with you. Then find a local group and go and chat with them. They may need a hand, in which case you'll get valuable experience, and they'll certainly be able to give you good advice to get you started. They can also tell you if there's any start-up support in your part of the country. [Community Energy England](http://communityenergyengland.org/) can provide more information and point you in the right direction; and [here's](http://www.sharenergy.coop/start-a-project/) a guide to starting a community energy project from Sharenergy. There's also [Renew Wales](http://www.renewwales.org.uk/) and [Local Energy Scotland](http://www.localenergyscotland.org/) who can put you in touch with people local to you who can give lots of useful advice. Look at other groups' share offer documents - their core business model will be in there, and it will all be very useful to look over. You need to get the latest financial, technical and business information, as it goes out of date so quickly. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| [Isle of Eigg](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/eigg-community-owned-island-the-1st-completely-wind-water-and-sun-electricity-grid-in-the-world/), Scotland - community-owned island & the first completely wind, water and sun electricity grid in the world. | _[Isle of Eigg](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/eigg-community-owned-island-the-1st-completely-wind-water-and-sun-electricity-grid-in-the-world/), Scotland - community-owned island & the first completely wind, water and sun electricity grid in the world._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
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| ### Becoming a member of an existing scheme | ==== Becoming a member of an existing scheme ==== |
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| If you want to invest in a community energy project, do a web search for community energy plus where you live. All schemes with share offers have a web presence. Also visit the websites of [Sharenergy](http://www.sharenergy.coop/), [Shares.coop](http://www.shares.coop/) and [Ethex](https://www.ethex.org.uk/) (who often list share offers and other ethical investments). Get yourself on their mailing lists for the latest offers. Membership of some schemes is locally prioritised, others are first come, first served. | If you want to invest in a community energy project, do a web search for community energy plus where you live. All schemes with share offers have a web presence. Also visit the websites of [Sharenergy](http://www.sharenergy.coop/), [Shares.coop](http://www.shares.coop/) and [Ethex](https://www.ethex.org.uk/) (who often list share offers and other ethical investments). Get yourself on their mailing lists for the latest offers. Membership of some schemes is locally prioritised, others are first come, first served. |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| 20,000 solar panels covering 30 acres on the Oxfordshire / Wiltshire border, owned by [Westmill Solar Co-op](http://www.westmillsolar.coop/). | _20,000 solar panels covering 30 acres on the Oxfordshire / Wiltshire border, owned by [Westmill Solar Co-op](http://www.westmillsolar.coop/)._ |
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| </caption> | </caption> |
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| ## Further resources | ===== Forum ===== |
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| | This topic belongs to the section [[gt:community|Community & culture]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/community). |
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| | It is also in the sections |
| | * [[gt:economy|Economy & finance]] (Forum: [Economy & finance](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/economy)) |
| | * [[gt:power|Power & heating]] (Forum: [Power & heating](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/power)) |
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| | ===== Further resources ===== |
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| | - [Community Energy England](https://communityenergyengland.org/) |
| | - [Baywind](https://www.baywind.coop/) - first community energy scheme in the UK |
| | - [Energy4All](https://energy4all.co.uk/) - demonstrating the power of co-operation in the renewable energy sector |
| | - [Sharenergy](https://www.sharenergy.coop/start-a-project/) - helping start community energy projects |
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| | ===== Related topics ===== |
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| | - [Co-operatives](coop:co-operatives) |
| | - [Community](comy:community) |
| | - [Commons economy](coec:commons_economy) |
| | - [Wind generators](wind:wind_generators) |
| | - [Solar electricity](soel:solar_electricity) |
| | - [Micro-hydro](mhdr:micro-hydro) |
| | - [Biomass boilers](biom:biomass_boilers) |
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| ## Specialist(s) | ===== Specialist curators of this topic ===== |
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