Credit: Community Energy England

Local community energy co-operative shortlisted for two awards

Local community energy co-operative Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) and its director Kate Meakin have both been shortlisted for awards by Community Energy England. Energise Sussex Coast’s Gabriel Carlyle reports.

Community Energy England is a body representing over 300 community energy and associated organisations across England. Its Community Energy Awards 2024 ceremony – at which the winners will be announced – will be taking place in Bristol this Friday (22 November).

Kate Meakin has been shortlisted in the ‘Community Energy Champion (individual)’ category which recognises ‘one exceptional individual, in England, that has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the community energy sector or driven / delivered a particularly significant impact or success.’ ESC has been shortlisted in the ‘Community Energy Organisation of the year (Large)’ category.

Kate Meakin (left) at a local energy advice session. Photo: Energise Sussex Coast

Founded in 2012, 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: 01424 390 062. Its sister coop, Energise South, has raised community investment to finance and install solar arrays on nine community buildings, including Baird Primary School and St Leonards Academy.

Community energy projects currently generate less than 1% of the UK’s electricity. But it has the potential to grow twenty-fold in the next ten years, powering millions of homes, saving millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and creating tens of thousands of jobs.

7,800 calls, 2,284 appointments

According to Community Energy England, Energise Sussex Coast (ESC) has seen ‘transformative growth’ since 2017, enabling it ‘to expand its services and execute a wide range of impactful projects to address energy poverty, increase renewable energy adoption, and foster sustainable community initiatives in East Sussex and beyond.’

For example, ‘The organisation’s energy advice helpline received over 7,800 calls in the past year, providing assistance to vulnerable clients struggling with high energy costs. A total of 2,284 energy advice appointments were held … [and] ESC’s support led to a total financial benefit of over £172,130 for clients.’

Kate Meakin (left) with Julia Hilton at the Hastings Academy solar installation. Photo: Energise Sussex Coast

A ‘pivotal role’

Community Energy England note the ‘pivotal role’ that Kate Meakin has played in establishing Energise South, where she served as a founding voluntary director: ‘Through her leadership, £450,000 was raised for solar PV installations on nine community buildings, schools, and businesses across the South East. These sites currently generate over half a million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

ESC has also recently completed shepherding an innovative solar retrofit of a 36-flat sheltered-housing block in Bexhill, which has helped its residents reduce their energy costs by up to 50%.

Energise Sussex Coast CEO, Richard Watson, said: ‘It’s amazing that ESC has been short-listed for Community Energy Organisation of the Year. It marks how far we have progressed in 12 years and underlines the impact that local community energy can have. I am also incredibly pleased that Kate Meakin has been shortlisted as Community Energy Champion of the Year as her contribution to our progress has been off the scale.’

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