Community Energy Mentoring Project

Peer Power Workshop

5 September 2015

Petra Morris, Co-operatives UK

*STOP PRESS*

Co-operatives UK was presented with the Community Energy Innovation Award for the Energy Peer Mentoring during the Community Energy Conference & Awards http://www.uk.coop/newsroom/community-energy-awards

Overall aim

• Energy Peer Mentoring is a pilot programme which set the national benchmark in delivering peer-led world class support and training.

• Delivered by Co-operatives UK and the Community Shares Unit and funded by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

• Supported 30 community renewable energy projects and recruited 20 leading pioneers with diverse skillsets across the community energy field to deliver quality advice and support.

• Each of the groups received six days of support from a mentor

who helped them to navigate the often complex financial, regulatory and organisational hurdles faced by ventures looking to develop community energy projects.

Achievements

• £100k of consultancy fees and external training saved through peer mentoring

• 11 mentee groups have already raised £1.4

million via community shares. It is envisaged that this number will rise to £4million over the duration of the initiatives

• The programme also embedded support from

the government-backed Community Shares Unit. Community shares have become an innovative method of funding community renewables, raising £24 million in 2014

• The programme exceeded demand, and has a

waiting list for the future

Community energy groups

Mentoring organisations (practitioners)

Projects supported by technology type

Projects supported by location

Satisfaction is high

Case study

• The programme supported some of the most innovative initiatives in community energy, such as Chase Community Solar (supported by GenCommunity) which raised £750,000 to put solar panels on council house roofs. The initiative brought community energy to a new demographic, was the first such project in the UK to partner with a Council, and directly addressed fuel poverty at a very local level.

• http://communityshares.org.uk/case-studies/chase-community-solar-0

Policy & lessons

This work has set a benchmark for peer mentoring and given us the chance to talk to over forty community energy organisations about the continuing challenges they face. These learnings have been compiled along with clear policy recommendations in our ‘Lessons for Government’ report in partnership with Community Energy England.

Financing community energy

EM and Community Shares – The Standard

Mark

The Standard Mark can be awarded by practitioners, who are licensed by CSU. Licensed practitioners are subject to the complaints service, and can ultimately be de-licensed

by the CSU.

The Standard Mark is awarded to the community share offer in recognition that the society is complying with good practice.

Good practice is embodied in the Community Shares Handbook.

The assessment includes the review of the:

- offer document

- application form

- governing document

- business plan

CSU maintains a public enquiry and complaints service, with the

ultimate sanction of removing the Standard Mark from a share offer.

A voluntary scheme, supported by the FCA and Money Advice Service.

Community energy and community shares

CSU now funded by DECC to promote the use of community shares within the community energy sector. It is recognised that more bespoke guidance is

needed for the sector, recognising that:

• The community energy sector has grown to become a dominant part of community shares activity

• The underlying differences in the business model of most community energy societies from other sectors of activity using community shares

• The growing divergence in practice between the community energy sector and other sectors of activity using community shares

Business models

Community benefit

Interest rate policies

Shared ownership

Governance and

participation

Liquidity of share capital

Community energy and community shares

Establish a Working Group from the

sector to oversee a consultation process

Capture views of the sector on a range of

guidance matters

Working Group review consultation

responses and determine how this is applied to existing and new guidance

Technical Committee review and approves revisions to existing guidance and new

guidance

For more information contact

energy.mentoring@uk.coop

www.energymentoring.org.uk

Twitter @energymentor

www.communityshares.org.uk

Twitter @comshares