Community energy is when people from all walks of life come together to deliver community-owned green energy, reduce energy use and help make it affordable for all.

Community Energy Pathways (CEP) is a programme run by Community Energy South.  It is about working collaboratively with all stakeholders (communities, local authorities, Distribution Network Operators) to support the development of the community energy sector across England.  It is about generating community-owned green energy needed for heat, transport and power, offering energy efficiency advice and reducing fuel poverty so that ultimately we can all become more resilient and reach Net Zero.

CEP is a step by step mentoring programme run by Community Energy South for local authorities, engaging with all stakeholders with an interest in the development of the community energy sector across England.  CEP facilitates collaboration in our goal to become more resilient as a nation and reach Net Zero.

Around 300 local authorities across England have declared a Climate Emergency and have presented climate change strategies to reach net zero by 2050. Our Community Energy Pathways programme is a six step mentoring programme which will help local authorities and communities work in partnership to deliver those plans.  Click here for detail (link to ‘How it works’)

For the past decade Community Energy South has been working to establish a thriving Community Energy network across the South East.  We have been running the Community Energy Pathways mentoring programme which has inspired communities into taking positive action, enabling engagement with local authorities, creating a network of local community energy groups and driving innovation. The BEIS Net Zero team recognises the benefits, actively supports the Community Energy Pathways approach and is funding us to promote this scheme to all local authorities across England.

For each Community Energy Pathways programme in place we will:

Enable local authorities and communities to work together, creating a local network

Inspire communities to take positive action on climate change

Build social benefits by enabling energy saving and retrofit, creating local market places

Support vulnerable and fuel poor with local trusted energy advice

Establish networks that enable communities to innovate, access funds and harness community finance for socially owned renewable energy generation and other benefits

Build resilience in local communities by creating local networks that enable Net Zero planning

Mentor the development of up to 5 new community energy groups in your region

All you have to do is click here and a representative from Community Energy South will be in touch shortly.