Current Work & Highlights

Please see our policy and advocacy highlights document for a summary of our 2022 activities. 

To join our Working Groups, currently Energy Efficiency, Ethical Sourcing and Heat please visit the Working Group page

• Energy Efficiency

  In the face of an energy crisis, CEE set up a working group in March 2022 of experts in energy efficiency and energy advice which has been meeting regularly to discuss how community energy can organise urgently to get a larger and more reliable piece of the funding pie to do this vital work.

• Ethical Sourcing

  CEE set up a working group of experts and interested parties in March 2022 which aims to meet monthly to discuss the ethical sourcing of renewable technologies throughout the procurement process for community energy businesses. This working group was initially set up, in response to an active discussion on CEE’s practitioner's forum, to discuss the ethical procurement of PV panels but intends to continue to explore processes of ethical sourcing for more renewable technologies in the future.

• Wind 

  Community wind energy has been a challenging development area in recent years but, recently, there has been a glimmer of hope and CEE is keen to chase it. Within the energy security strategy, the government committed to consulting on developing local partnerships for willing communities wishing to host new onshore wind. CEE are keen to demonstrate to the government the willingness and ability of communities to develop their own wind projects. If your organisation is interested in pursuing an onshore wind project please fill in our wind survey here.

• Benefits of CE
  

  To support our Policy Asks, we continue to collect data and case studies that demonstrate why community energy is vital to the energy transition to net-zero and a good investment of government money in achieving it alongside multiple other policy aims and incidental co-benefits.

• Community Heat Working Group
  

  During CEE’s annual conference at Community Energy Fortnight 2022, which focused on the Energy Transition, group discussions led to an agreement to form a working group to explore options for community heat. If you are interested in this topic or feel like you can contribute to this discussion please email d.law@communityenergyengland.org

• Community Hydro Forum

• Departmental Budgets Campaign 
  

  We are asking everyone to write to their MP(s) asking them to write to the Secretary of State at BEIS urging that support for community energy be provided from departmental budgets, currently being allocated. We have received feedback from BEIS that they have noticed an increase in correspondence about community energy and that this is being heard and is having a positive impact within the department. We want to keep this momentum going. So, if you have not yet written to your MP, please do this now. Our template email is available here along with more information and guidance on how to get involved. 

• EAC Inquiry
  

  The Environmental Audit Committee completed an inquiry into Community Energy, which culminated in publishing a strong Letter to the (then) Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Kwasi Kwarteng MP, with the subject: Removing the barriers to the development of community energy. It contains powerful advocacy for community energy’s importance and benefits. We are working to keep the pressure up, in a positive way, and ensure that these recommendations given within the letter are addressed.

Active Campaigns 

For short summaries of some of the areas where we are actively campaigning including in the House of Commons, House of Lords, Local Authorities & Regulators.

Current Consultations 

For policy documents and consultations that may be of interest to community energy groups or that CEE is considering making a response to.

Policy Responses

For a record of the policy responses we have submitted and our position on subjects that are receiving the attention of legislators.