Communities are at the heart of a new fund launching this autumn, which will strive to boost local growth and wider energy security.
The government confirmed that rural and local communities across England will be supported in setting up local energy projects through a new £10mn Community Energy Fund. Opening to applications in early autumn, the fund will look to drive forward projects such as small-scale windfarms, rooftop solar partnerships, battery storage, rural heat networks, electric vehicle charging facilities, and fuel poverty alleviation schemes – all proposed, designed and owned by local people.
Any surplus money the projects generate will be reinvested back into the communities in which they are based. This could be into the likes of community gardens and youth employment groups, among other local projects. The fund is also expected to lure in private investment. This will be to help projects scale up over time, promising more jobs and more growth in local areas.
