Community-owned hydropower, heat networks and anaerobic digesters – and even solar powered churches -are among the projects benefiting from the latest round of the Community Energy Fund.
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub has announced the second round of community groups to benefit from the Community Energy Fund.
Fifteen community groups have received funding from the second round of the fund, which helps local groups get clean energy and heat generating and conserving projects in their communities off the ground. The national programme is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and is managed locally by the Local Net Zero Hubs.
Successful bids to the were as follows:
- The Ouseburn Trust – awarded £39,000 to investigate the feasibility of the Trusts owned properties to identify energy efficiency improvements, and opportunities to generate and store electricity, utilise heat pumps, and for an electric charging point for bikes/cargo bikes for local community use, should they be deemed technically feasible.
- CERT CIC – awarded £39,999.20 to investigate the feasibility of solar PV on 150 properties in Hull.
- East Durham Community Development Trust Ltd – awarded £99,410 to further develop their wind and solar community project in Horden, with the aim to provide renewable energy to the end project, the Horden Heat Network, and bring it to an investment ready level.
- East Durham Community Development Trust Ltd– awarded £39,730 to investigate the feasibility of a community owned Anaerobic digestion plant being added to their site in Horden, to provide vital renewable energy to a future planned project Horden Heat Network.
- Weardale Renewables Energy CIC – awarded £39,850 to investigate the feasibility of solar PV at the Heights Quarry site.
- Sycamore Net Zero CIC – awarded £27,050 to investigate the feasibility of a community owned energy hub and heat network in Hexham.
- York Community Energy – awarded £18,608 to investigate the feasibility of rooftop solar arrays on 6 buildings in York.
- Sheriff Hutton Village Hall – awarded £11,340 to further develop the Business Plan for Decarbonising Sheriff Hutton Village Hall, to make the project investor ready. The future aim of the project is to introduce an Air Source Heat Pump as well as battery storage to support an existing solar PV installation and investigate EV charging points.
- Sheffield Renewables – awarded £40,000 to investigate the feasibility of a Solar PV and wind energy generation to contribute to the production of green hydrogen or exported to the grid on a farm in Sheffield.
- Two Churches One Town – awarded £40,000 to investigate the feasibility of replacing existing pipework and radiators, introducing more effective heat emitters, applying ground source or air source heat pumps and the installation of solar PV panels at two churches in Hull.
- SY Ecofit CIC – awarded £40,000 to investigate the feasibility of a delivery model to provide energy advice to fuel poor residents across South Yorkshire.
- Northern Community Power – awarded £21,720 to investigate the feasibility of a solar PV project on a factory roof in Newcastle.
- SY Ecofit CIC – awarded £40,000 to investigate the feasibility of an Anaerobic Digester and production of green hydrogen, with the Anaerobic Digester being it’s power source, on a farm in Sheffield.
- Yorspace YCE – awarded £39,978 to investigate the feasibility of solar PV, battery storage and EV charging points as part of a community owned off grid energy system, at Lowfield Green.
- Grange Villa Community Enterprise– awarded £76,690 to further develop a hydroelectric power (HEP) scheme and progress the project to be investor ready.
Applications for the Community Energy Fund have now closed, but the Hub is taking applications for the Energy Project Enabling Fund (EPEF).
EPEF offers capital grants of between £30,000 and £245,000 to deliver local energy projects. More information is available here.
The fund is open until midnight on the December 8th.
The Hub is also offering free surgery sessions for Community Energy Groups and Local Authorities early in 2025.
The sessions will offer groups 1:1 advice from expert consultants on key aspects of developing community energy projects.
The sessions will focus on:
- Net Zero Project Planning and Development (February 4th and 5th 2025)
- Low Carbon Technologies (February 6th and 7th 2025)
- Governance and Procurement (February 10th and 11th 2025)
- Commercial case development (February 12th and 13th 2025)
You can book a session here.
