Community Energy Fortnight

Community Energy Fortnight 2024

Community Energy Fortnight (CEF) is a vibrant nationwide campaign reaching thousands of people and involving hundreds of organisations and it is a great opportunity to make your organisation's activities visible within the local community and show the rest of the sector, and important stakeholders, what community energy is all about.

This 2024's campaign focus was on the theme of empowerment. CEF 2024 ran from 1 - 14 July. We invited and encouraged our friends and members to participate, embracing the spirit of empowerment.

Community Energy Fortnight 2024, sponsored by Thrive Renewables, was an extraordinary two weeks, filled with insightful events, informative webinars, engaging social media and exciting announcements.

You can browse the hashtags #EmpowerCommunityEnergy and #CEF2024 to look back through Twitter/ X activity from the Fortnight.

Events

There were a wide range of events during the Fortnight - so many of our members and supporters got involved with CEF 2024 by hosting events - thank you!

CEE hosted two community energy conferences with Northern Powergrid and Regen during the fortnight (York and Newcastle), and resources from these events are available to download here.

Our fantastic members and friends held at least 20 events during the Fortnight, including several site tours. We are grateful to all organisations whose events added to the success of the Fortnight both online and in person.

Links to recordings of online events sent to us by members and friends will be available below.

News

UK Power Networks announces landmark £1million boost for community energy groups

CEE - New government backs local people to tackle climate change with up to £1bn a year

CEE - Lifting the onshore wind ban

Blogs

We love reading and sharing the sector's wide-ranging thoughts and opinions on the energy transition, social benefits, renewable technologies, policy, and much more, and we're grateful to the people and organisations who contributed blogs for CEF 2024.

If you're just starting out on your community energy journey then these resources may be particularly helpful:

Bath and West Community Energy - What is Community Energy and why do we need it?

Di Gerry, Senior Corporate Finance Manager at Triodos Bank UK - Sourcing Community Energy Finance

Connie Duxbury, Croydon Community Energy - Starting a community energy group in your area

Julian Barlow, Chair of Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy - More than just clean energy – the many benefits of community energy organisations

Angela Terry, CEO, One Home Climate Solutions - The top ten climate actions to promote in your community

If you've already been developing energy projects or delivering energy services, then these may be of interest:

Peter Capener, Managing Director, Bath & West Community Energy - What support would you offer to the community energy movement?

Essex County Council - Championing Community Energy Groups in Essex

Matthew Clayton, Managing Director, Thrive Renewables - Winds of change: How embracing shared ownership could help your community project to flourish

Northern Powergrid - Supporting Community Energy Organisations with Northern Powergrid’s Net Zero Community Energy Fund

Phil McGrath - How Cyd Ynni is Revolutionising Renewable Energy in North West Wales

Videos

Our CEF 2024 playlist includes insights from key figures in the community energy sector:

Jonathan Atkinson, Director of Business Development at Carbon Coop

Kate Gilmartin, Board member of Rossendale Valley Energy

Our friends and members posted outstanding #EmpowerCommunityEnergy videos on their social channels over the fortnight. Thank you to everyone’s contributions, including:

Croydon Community Energy

BHESCo