The Community Energy State of the Sector research provides the most comprehensive and inclusive review of community energy in the UK, in collaboration with Community Energy Wales and Community Energy Scotland.
The 2024 research has just been published which focuses on progress made in both 2022 and 2023. It contains a high level overview summary of the community energy sector in the UK, showing how the sector has developed over the past two years. You can read the full report here.
The overview shows that the community energy sector continues to both grow and diversify, with new organisations starting up, jobs being created and contributions to local economies growing. Community energy generates more renewable electricity than ever, is engaging more and more people with energy efficiency retrofit and continues to reduce consumers’ bills through energy advice and fuel poverty alleviation. Looking to the future, the sector has a healthy pipeline of new projects, services, investment, innovation and start-up organisations, but even more could be unlocked if a range of barriers causing projects to stall were removed.
The UK sector showed healthy growth measured in installed renewable energy capacity. In 2021, 7.6 MW were installed, representing growth of 2.4% over 2020. In the last two years, 61 MW were installed, representing annual growth of more than 9%. Jobs grew by 7% a year. The number of community energy organisations, volunteers and members is up. The amount saved on energy bills as a result of energy efficiency and fuel poverty work is up. Investment is up. The sector’s planned pipeline is strong.
Community energy is resilient, entrepreneurial and growing. This growth which could be boosted further by changes to regulations, grid connections and other barriers that could unlock 79 stalled projects, representing 270 MW of capacity.
Through its skill and determination, the sector has grown during an era of limited public funds, high interest rates and policy barriers. Now, we are delighted to welcome a ‘new dawn’ for community energy.
What a wonderful, exciting and rewarding time to be involved with Community Energy locally! If you’d like to know more about how you could be involved, register for our newsletter or get in touch via hello@esd.energy.
