For too long, we've relied on energy produced and owned abroad – empowering oligarchs while multinational oil and gas companies make record profits.
With prices reaching record highs, there has never been a more important moment to invest in cheap, clean renewable energy produced and owned right here in the UK.
At the Co-operative Party, we know that ownership matters. And that's why we back community-owned energy, where local people own and control renewables like solar panels and wind farms that power their communities.
But to do that, we need Co-operative Party Members like you to support our campaign. This guide should provide everything you need to campaign and win with us on this issue, online and on the ground in your community.
Pass a motion at your branch supporting the aims of the Co-operative Party’s campaign, commit to promoting current community energy schemes or the establishment of them and writing to the leader of your local council asking what they are doing to support the growth of the initiatives.
Download the model branch motion
Pass a motion at your Constituency Labour Party (if you’re a Labour Party Member) supporting the aims of the Co-operative Party’s campaign and committing to working with local partners and elected members to support their growth. Download the model CLP motion
If you live in England, using the ‘Local Power Locator’ you can find out what community energy schemes are already in your area and through the personalised letter generator, you can write to your MP asking them to support the accessibility of community energy schemes by committing long term funding. Use the Local Power Locator
Write to your local councillor/s asking them to do what they can to support the growth and expansion of community energy schemes – that might be asking questions at committee, raising a motion themselves or meeting with local groups. Download the model letter to councillor
Write to your local newspaper about why community energy is important, why it matters to local people and highlighting the successful examples. This is also a great way to promote the Co-operative Party’s campaign and put out a call to action to readers such as signing a petition or engaging with tools such as the ‘Local Power Locator’. Download the model letter to newspaper
You can download our sharers at the bottom of this page and share to social media using the hashtag #CommunityEnergyNow, or use the buttons provided.
In the midst of a cost of living crisis and with a rise in the cost of energy due to international conflicts. Many households simply cannot afford to heat their homes. Whilst multinational oil and gas companies make record profits, those in our communities are struggling on a daily basis.
By having energy schemes which are owned and run locally. All profits and money stays local, seeing a benefit to the local economy and the potential to see more local jobs in energy solutions.
A number of community energy organisations provide energy efficiency initiatives to help tackle fuel poverty and offer advice on how to reduce the cost of bills, seeing a massive benefit to the most vulnerable customers.
Instead of empowering wealthy oligarchs, let’s empower our communities.
Community energy schemes not only empower it’s local members to have more of a say on how energy is produced and where it’s profits go but they increase resilience and often have more awareness of local issues, allowing them to be in a better position to adapt if need be and support vulnerable members.
A locally owned energy scheme can support work being done to increase education on issues such as energy awareness, renewable energy, carbon reduction and advocacy within local communities. All supporting behaviour change.
As we continue to fight the climate crisis, local authorities have acknowledged that community energy schemes could be well placed to support any climate emergency or net zero commitments.
Whether it’s supporting work being done to educate the public of the environmental challenges we face, encouraging them to make better choices which will in turn help them become more energy aware/efficient or local authorities working with community energy schemes to establish projects on their own estate, including solar panels on schools and council buildings.
Involving and supporting the establishment of community energy schemes locally can have a huge positive impact in tackling the climate crisis.
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Community Energy England – Community Energy and local Climate Emergencies
Community Energy England – Benefits of Community Energy
CarbonCopy – Glasgow Community Energy
Energy Saving Trust – How community energy schemes can help the UK reach net zero
REScoop – The social impact of energy communities: ten benefits they bring