Lewes-based not-for-profit community energy social enterprise receives King’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise

Community energy is designed to bring local people together to deliver community-led and owned renewable energy projects, as well as to advise communities on how they can be more energy efficient. Projects can range from smaller scale solar panels on local buildings and homes to communities securing shared ownership of larger renewable energy projects in the local area. People work together to reduce energy use, without impacting their day-to-day lives, and generate low carbon heat and power for their homes and buildings.

CEP works with community energy groups and local authorities to support local people and create job opportunities for Energy Champions, a role to help people understand how they can improve their homes and buildings and spend less money on energy while helping the environment.

CEP has supported over 60 community energy groups across 15 different counties and towns. Last year, CEP secured £1 million funding from UK Power Networks to help expand the work of up to 20 new community energy groups with the aim of reaching 20,000 people and conducting over 1200 in-person home visits.

Community energy projects enjoy far more support from the public than privately-owned projects according to polling by Common Wealth. The research reveals that 62% of the public would support a community-owned renewable energy project in their area, compared to 40% support for a privately-owned project, demonstrating the vast potential of community energy to accelerate low-carbon energy projects and deliver cheaper energy bills.

Ollie Pendered, CEO of CEP, said: “Community energy is all about supporting communities across the country. We want to help people be smarter with their energy, reduce their energy bills, and decarbonise their energy, all while creating local job opportunities.

“We’re over the moon to receive the King’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise – it’s a bit of a pinch me moment, really. It’s amazing to have our work recognised, and we hope this will help promote community energy nationwide, in turn leading to the creation of several more community energy groups, helping people to live cheaper, warmer, and safer.”