Case studies
Surrey County Council
Mid Surrey Community Fridges CIC
- An existing Community Interest Company looking to save funds through developing a solar project on the roof of their leased building or on adjacent fields and switching from diesel transport to electric.
- Pathways is supporting them with a feasibility study for solar and vehicle options plus understanding the ideal business model for raising investment.
Surrey County Council
Cranleigh Parish Council
- A Parish Council having already secured funding to study solar and heat options for their large village.
- Pathways is supporting them through the process to help ensure the emerging project is a strong investment opportunity and carbon reducing initiative.
Surrey County Council
Zero Carbon Guildford
- An existing charity keen to initiate rooftop solar projects to support the wealth of other carbon saving initiatives.
- Starting their feasibility journey into rooftop solar
- Keen to further existing energy champion work to address local fuel poverty
Surrey County Council
Surrey Faith Links
- This multi-faith network is keen to work with Pathways so the Surrey Muslim Association gain up to date information on community energy opportunity.
- We are sharing examples of faith-based projects across the UK, highlighting opportunities most suited to the buildings occupied.
Surrey County Council
Maid Energy
- An established Community Benefit Society operating in Windsor, Maidenhead and North Surrey.
- This group has a strong portfolio of seven community solar sites and a leisure centre ground source heat pump.
- MaidEnergy is a keen supporter of other groups – lending experience and opportunities to collaborate to new local ventures.
Surrey County Council
Wey Valley Solar
- A community owned energy co-operative set up by people from Guildford and Godalming.
- The group provides solar on 10 schools and one church with a generation capacity of 600kW.
- Wey Valley Solar are being incredibly supportive in Surrey by advising and supporting other communities to replicate the work.
Surrey County Council
Springbok Sustainable Wood Heat Co-operative
- This co-op operates an affordable wood chip fuelled district heating system on a residential estate in Surrey
- The area does not have access to the gas grid and found biomass system to be much favourable than the aging oil boilers
- Managed by Energy4All Green Co-operative Energy this group has provided countless advice and inspiration to many emerging community energy groups.
Essex County Council
Tollesbury Climate Partnership
- Supported them to become an incorporated company, develop a business plan and secure funding.
- Secured £30k from Maldon District Council to deliver decarbonisation projects with local schools.
- Funds to be spent on community engagement, creating a share offer for community investment, developing the supply chain development and preparing for project delivery.
- Working with the group on rooftop a solar feasibility study.
Essex County Council
Saffron Walden Community Energy
- Supported them to become an incorporated company, develop project ideas, create a business plan and secure funding.
- Initial projects include work on local fuel poverty and partnering with the Town Council.
- Secured £20k from Essex Climate Action Challenge Fund
- Enabled the group to work with a nearby Parish to investigate whole-village heat decarbonisation using findings from the celebrated CommuniHeat project.
Essex County Council
Sustainable Danbury
- Supported them to become an incorporated company, develop project ideas, create a business plan and secure funding.
- Secured £5k from Essex Climate Action Challenge Fund to employ their first staff member to help them engage their community and develop locally led projects.
- Group is involved in several local energy projects ranging from large scale solar and energy saving advice.
Essex County Council
Community Energy Colchester
- Advised this group on becoming incorporated and developing a business plan
- Supported them to network with other emerging groups and participate in an energy saving advice network, training volunteers and reaching hundreds of homes.
- Supporting a micro-hydro feasibility study and development of their project pipeline.
Hampshire County Council
Energy Alton
- Community Interest Company that has been delivering home energy services to Alton area for 10 years.
- Now interested in developing community renewable projects and CES supported a successful RCEF bid to explore the feasibility of a renewable heat and electricity project at a local housing co-op.
- Providing support to expand its home energy service to widen its outreach and provide additional support to households struggling with fuel debt.
Hampshire County Council
Test Source Community Energy
- Community Benefit Society that CES are supporting through the development of its first project to develop a 330kW rooftop solar scheme on a local farm.
- Assisting the group to develop a pipeline of renewable energy opportunities in the area and providing business plan support.
- Working with the group to develop and resource a home energy champions service for the area.
Hampshire County Council
Energise South Downs
- Supporting the group to become a registered Community Benefit Society that spans a wide number of communities across the South Downs from Chichester to Winchester.
- Providing business planning and capacity building support including integrating with the local authorities and South Downs National Park.
- Helping to develop a large pipeline of project opportunities including ground mounted and rooftop solar PV schemes and renewable heat projects in off gas, rural communities.
Hampshire County Council
Loddon Community Energy
- Supported the group to become a registered Community Benefit Society and advised on governance and structuring.
- Helping develop a business plan that includes a number of project opportunity in the north Basingstoke area
- Assisting with the development of a home energy champion service and linking with Test Source Community Energy to share resources and skills
Hampshire County Council
West Solent Solar Co-op
- Existing group that has a 2MW solar farm in Lymington in the New Forest – one of the first community energy projects in Hampshire.
- It would like to explore other renewable energy projects in wider area and we are working to build a coalition of environment groups in the New Forest that could take these projects forward.
- Supporting the group to develop a home energy advice service and are looking at funding opportunities to resource this.