The Power to Change Next Generation programme supports post-subsidy business models for community energy businesses. Eleven innovative projects have received funding from Power to Change, with support provided by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) as delivery partner. As part of our role in evaluating the Next Generation innovation programme, CAG worked with the Power to Change, CSE and the Next Generation projects to share emerging learning through a series of videos and case studies.  The videos, prepared in partnership with Close-Up Research, include:

• Bath and West Community Energy have piloted flexibility services provided by local households, as a way of enabling more renewables within the electricity grid. See the full video here.
• Brighton Energy have added EV charge-points to community-owned solar PV installations, providing renewable electricity to local EV users. See the full video here.
• CREW Energy have installed a large heat pump in a community centre in London, benefiting a diverse community of users, and are pivoting to provide home carbon audits and energy efficiency advice to the wider community, in response to the cost-of-living crisis. See the full video here.
• Nadder Community Energy have set up a community-led car club in rural Wiltshire, using electric cars to improve local people’s mobility. See the full video here.

CAG Consultants also prepared case studies of these and other projects in the Next Generation innovation programme, including:

• Carbon Coops who have created an app that helps people understand their smart meter data better.
• Plymouth Energy Community  who have investigated options for community-led energy systems in new zero carbon housing developments by community land trusts.

These resources were designed to share ideas and lessons with other community groups considering action on energy. They were widely publicised through a social media campaign in partnership with Community Energy England. They also aimed to demonstrate to local authorities and funders the vital role that community energy can play in the transition to a low carbon economy. CAG is now working with Power to Change, the Centre for Sustainable Energy and Community Energy England to share learning from the programme with key target audiences within and beyond the community energy sector.

For further details on CAG’s role in evaluating and sharing learning from the Next Generation innovation programme, please contact Mary Anderson at ma@cagconsult.co.uk