Letter signatories Kate Meakin and Cllr Julia Hilton at the community solar installation at Hastings Academy. Image: Energise Sussex Coast

Groups, councillors and Brighton MP call for more support for community energy projects

A national fund that has helped develop projects in Bexhill, Crowhurst, Forest Row, Lewes, Ovingdean and Peacehaven is now drastically underfunded. Energise Sussex Coast’s Gabriel Carlyle explains.

Local organisations and Councillors have sent an open letter to the government, calling on it to urgently increase funding for the Community Energy Fund – a government programme that funds feasibility and development work for community energy projects.

Locally the Fund – which aims to help kickstart projects including small-scale wind farms and rooftop solar partnerships, designed and owned by local people – has already helped to develop projects in Bexhill, Crowhurst, Forest Row, Lewes, Ovingdean and Peacehaven.

The signatories – who include representatives from Battle Solar Town, Energise Sussex Coast, Forest Row Energy Co-op and OVESCO, as well as a cross-party selection of councillors from East Sussex and Brighton MP Sian Berry – note that boosting the Fund is needed so that the government ‘can make good on its vision for there to be 8GW of local and community-owned renewable power – and thousands of new jobs – across the UK by 2030’.

Catastrophic slump 

The letter notes that: ‘The original £10m spent by the Fund has to date kickstarted around 150 projects. These will ultimately deliver more than 230MW of renewable power with very little additional investment from the public purse.’

The community solar installation on the roof of the Tilling Green Community Centre in Rye. Photo: Energise Sussex Coast

It also quotes Community Energy England (which represents over 320 community energy and associated organisations) as stating that the funding currently allocated to the Fund for this financial year (£5m) is ‘so inadequate that it almost guarantees that [it] will run out of money again before the end of the year…caus[ing] a catastrophic slump in confidence and activity in the sector’.

Community Energy England say that this figure must urgently be increased to at least £30m.

Energise Sussex Coast director Kate Meakin said: ‘Research conducted by Community Energy England and others has shown that, given the appropriate policy and financial support across the UK, the community energy sector could become 12-20 times larger by 2030: powering 2.2 million homes, supporting over 8700 jobs, and adding over £1.8 billion to the economy each year. The government recognises the opportunities and benefits offered by community energy. It must now provide adequate funding to enable the sector to grow and thrive’.

Founded in 2012, local community benefit society Energise Sussex Coast works to tackle the climate crisis and energy injustice through community-owned renewable power and energy-saving schemes. It runs a free energy advice service to help local residents bring down the cost of their electricity, gas and water bills: speak to them on 01424 390 062.

Its sister coop, Energise South, has raised community investment to finance and install solar arrays on 11 local buildings, including Baird Primary School and St Leonards Academy.

Energise Sussex Coast received £40,000 from the Community Energy Fund for help with the development of the planned 6MW community solar farm in Crowhurst – a project that should boost wildlife and cut residents’ bills in an historic Rother village with one of the highest carbon footprints in the county. Image: John Feltwell

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