Community Energy Funding

This month, £25 million of government funding was announced for community energy projects.

If you are a community organisation set up to run energy projects for local benefit, your project must be designed to be at least 50% community-owned when operational; you can apply.

Applications are open, and the deadline is 12 November. Full details are on the Great British Energy website: www.gbe.gov.uk/funding/gbe-community-fund

Community-owned energy:

• empowers communities

• cuts energy bills by reducing our reliance on volatile global energy markets

• ensures profits are reinvested in projects and services that support local residents rather than flowing elsewhere

• help communities play their part in tackling climate change

This is a significant opportunity, and I want local groups in Truro and Falmouth, as well as Cornwall Council, to make the most of it. I already have brilliant organisations in my constituency, like Chacewater Community Energy Group and Low Carbon Ladock, that are showing us how communities can come together to set up renewable energy locally. 

These ‘People's Power’ projects are all about local action, and could include rooftop solar, onshore wind, hydropower, energy storage and heat pumps.

Cornwall is well placed to lead the way in our transition to clean power - we have plenty of wind power, solar and geothermal energy in Cornwall.