COMMUNITY ENERGY IN SUFFOLK
What is community energy?
COMMUNITY ENERGY IN SUFFOLK
What is community energy?
Net Zero needs buy in from all of us. Community energy is all about a group of people coming together, taking action and using local resources to reduce, manage or generate their own energy.
Are there public buildings in your community, like schools or sports clubs, that could have solar PV panels on the roof? Or do you have a natural resource nearby, like a windy hilltop, that could be used to generate electricity with a wind turbine?
A community energy project can happen anywhere, from remote villages to city neighbourhoods. And it can involve anything from installing solar to running an awareness campaign about energy efficiency.
Community energy has huge potential to reduce our carbon emissions. The obvious benefit for individuals in getting involved in a community energy project is one of scale. You can achieve more as a collective than on your own.
There are all sorts of other benefits for individuals and the areas where projects are located too, including:
Reduced energy bills, warmer homes and reduced fuel poverty.
A boost for the local economy, creating jobs and attracting investment.
A sense of empowerment from the ownership of the renewable energy project.
Showing everyone – young and old – that change is possible.
Potential for income to fund more local projects.
Inspiration for communities to tackle other local issues, like improving transport connections.
POWER TO CHANGE
What is Community Energy?
Community energy projects can take many forms and can include:
Delivering energy advice and helping people ‘power down’ their homes
Installing energy efficient lighting / insulation in village halls, sports centres etc
Fuel poverty reduction schemes
Installing solar panels on a school or community facilities
Running energy efficiency measures for a street, a neighbourhood, a community.
Projects can be owned or controlled by the communities themselves or run through a partnership with commercial or local authority partners to help them achieve net zero.
Car Clubs
EV Charging points
What is the Suffolk Community Energy Network?
We are a growing network of community energy groups that are working together to ensure people are at the heart of the energy transition in Suffolk. Our aim is to support the growth of community energy so that all communities have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from community energy projects and programmes.
Our network acts collaboratively to support each other and provides opportunities for shared learning and shared resources.
The Suffolk Community Energy Network
