Does your community want to become more energy-efficient?

If you’re part of a group of likeminded people who are interested in looking at alternative ways to generate energy, you can apply for a Community Energy Project!  

From solar power to wind turbines and heat pumps, the possibilities of creating your own energy are endless; and the benefits, well you can expect extra money in your pocket while helping the planet at the same time.

What is a Community Energy Project?

Community energy describes energy projects that are owned, controlled, or benefit local communities.

You don’t need an existing community group, gathering a few neighbours will do which will allow you to become registered as a community energy group.

Previous experience is not necessary and don’t worry if your plan isn’t all figured out, there are advisors within the council and elsewhere who can help fine tune your idea.

Currently, there are no community energy groups in the borough, and so the potential is huge. However for inspiration you can check out nearby Rossendale Valley Energy, who describe themselves as ‘a community-owned renewable energy group empowering local people to help make fuel more affordable and create warmer homes’ and have recently launched a solar project. Or, in Whalley, they have their own hydro scheme. Their hydroelectric generating plant on the side of the River Calder produces electric which is fed into the national grid and sold to a company that buys 100% renewable energy. You can read more at Whalley Community Hydro.

The main benefit of running a community energy project is lowering your energy bills, but there’s also potential to make additional money from excess energy sales and possibly dividends, if the financing is made public.

And of course, energy projects particularly focused on renewable energy, play a vital role in helping the planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Grant Funding

A sure-fire way to get your community energy project off the ground is to apply for grant funding. Through Great British Energy, funding of up to £140,000 is available to help parish and town councils, community organisations, faith groups, community interest companies and even sports teams get started on clean power projects that benefit their local areas. 

You don’t need to be an officially registered group to express an interest and funding can help pay for feasibility work or even detailed development.

However, you it’s best to get the ideas flowing as stage 1 of the grant funding closes at the end of September.

Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Executive Member for Growth and Development said:

It’s so important that we do as much as possible as a council and as a community to increase our use of renewable energy and lower the impact we’re having on our environment. This is a great opportunity for groups to come together and bring ideas forward and apply for funding.

One of our corporate missions as a council is to deliver our climate action plan and small community projects are a great help to contribute to this, while also having a whole host of other benefits for residents.

Where to begin?

We can help point you in the right direction of a range of specialists and give you guidance on how to apply for the grant.

If you’re interested, or just want to learn a bit more, e-mail climatechange@blackburn.gov.uk.