Community energy know-how: guidance and tools for groups

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to use this page.

Knowing what to do, and where to find help, can turn ambitions into action. This page brings you the knowledge and expertise of local partners and national organisations who've created pioneering community energy projects.

Practical help at every stage

Be inspired by what's already going on, and use these resources to find step-by-step, no-nonsense guidance on every aspect of setting up your own community energy group and projects.

Get your group going

How to start and maintain a community energy group

Understand the process

This ten-step guide to setting up a community energy group, from Community Energy London, advises on topics like recruiting members, developing your group identity and mission, and how to manage and maintain your group effectively.

Manage and communicate with your members

Community Energy England's Volunteers and meetings resources help you to:

recruit and manage volunteers
connect with other community energy groups to share ideas
access and share some of the technical tools and skills which will help you to communicate your message more effectively

How to engage with your local community

How your community handles the climate emergency

The Centre for Sustainable Energy understands and has experience of a many different ways that community energy groups can influence local policy and activities, so that sustainability is always on the agenda. Visit their Community Engagement page to see how you could get involved with projects such as:

local democracy
neighbourhood plans
climate action
youth-focused campaigning.

How to involve everyone

To help you to reach and include the most representative cross-section of your local area, Community Energy England and CSE have produced a helpful guide to Community engagement and diversity. This includes lots of practical methods for encouraging experience sharing and involving participants in decision-making.

How to start discussions about community-owned energy

Community Energy England's Case for Community Energy acts as an ideal introduction for people who are unfamiliar with the idea of community-based energy generation and action.

CSE’s widening participation toolkit explains the importance of getting as wide a range of local people involved as possible, together with practical tips to help your group achieve this.

Create and manage projects

How to find funding

Finding funding sources, putting together proposals and bids, and managing the relationship with funding bodies can be some of the most challenging tasks for any community group.

Learn fundraising skills and techniques

Community Energy England's Obtaining funding guide is a practical overview of the funding process and the skills your group will need to develop to manage this vital task.

This webinar on finance and community shares from Community Energy Go! may be useful if you're looking to attract investors to your project.

Consider types of funding

There are many possible types of financial support that your group may want to explore, including:

large scale grant schemes from government or the National Lottery
national or local charities
commercial sponsorships or partnerships
private investors
community crowdfunding

Find funding sources

Use these directories to explore funding opportunities

Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) directory of funding sources
Community Energy England's national funding resources listings
Bath and North East Somerset Council's Funding Finder lists both national and local opportunities for individuals and community groups worth millions, offering searchable results for different types of project
National Lottery funding supports a wide range of community-based activities, including energy project funding, climate action funding, and environmental projects. Search their funding programme directory.

Explore these funds and schemes

How to get expert help

Community Energy Go offer free tailored support connecting groups to expert advice and guidance. For a quick idea of who and how they can help, check out their Eligibility Criteria.

How to set up a community energy project

For a comprehensive guide on getting involved in solar or wind projects, visit Community Energy England's page on Electricity generation.

SP Energy Networks has a step-by-step guide to setting up solar power projects, designed for community groups

If you're considering rooftop solar

The Roofspotters' Guide from Repower London offers a quick primer on identifying what makes a good rooftop site for solar panels

Other technologies

The renewable energy sector is developing fast. To keep up to date with emerging technologies and ways of getting involved, view Community Energy England's guide on Technologies and business models.

How to manage group and project governance

If your community energy group is to grow, attract funding and build successful projects, governance is a vital skill to learn. Use these guides to show you how:

Community Energy England's guide to Choosing a structure and registering your organisation
Centre for Sustainable Energy's Governance guidance for community energy contains a library of resources, including video training sessions.
Community Energy England's strategy for Business, governance and financial management includes useful templates and policies to guide you.

Learn, expand and secure your future

How to monitor and demonstrate your project's impact

Defining what success means, and incorporating ways of measuring this into your projects, should be central to your project plan, and will enable you to secure and grow both your community engagement and your project funding.

Use these guides to support your group to define what you want your project to achieve, monitor its impact, and exploit this to consolidate your success.

Making it count: a guide to evidencing the impact of community energy from the Energy Learning Network
For a broader view of the place of community energy within the wider energy market, and the range of impacts that community energy projects can have for local communities, use Community Energy England's guidance on Definition, impact and sector potential

How to continue your learning

The Energy Learning Network is a nationwide partnership project to promote community energy action, through education, mentoring, shared experience and technical support. Visit their website for a huge range of services and learning resources.

Get in touch

If your group would like more help, to share your experiences, challenges and successes, or just to find like-minded people in our local area, do let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

Tell us whether you accept cookies