This month, the first Somerset Community Energy Network meeting took place in Wedmore.
Organised by Somerset Climate Action Network, with support from the South West Net Zero Hub, this event brought together ten Community Energy groups from across this vast region, to explore how greater collaboration could accelerate development of the Community Energy sector in Somerset.
The wide range of existing projects – spanning schools, health centres and important local sites – highlighted the direct social value created through community benefit funds and improved local energy resilience, and crucially, the need and potential for innovative joint ventures going forward.
The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to acknowledge common challenges – including operations and management contracts, internal resource constraints and access to funding. It was also a chance to determine governance, focus and next steps for the Somerset Community Energy Network.
Representatives from Somerset Counciland National Grid Energy Distribution joined the discussions, exploring opportunities for partnership and support, and recognising the vital role of locally led action in plans to decarbonise the energy system.
Community Energy will be vital in achieving the area-based delivery plans set out in Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan, The Government’s Warm Homes Plan and the Regional Energy Strategic Plans. By collaborating and growing via networks like this, Community Energy groups can scale and accelerate action to respond to these ambitious targets for local energy generation.
Groups in attendance were:
- Avalon Community Energy
- Brendon Energy Coop
- Burnham and Weston Community Energy
- Frome Renewable Energy Coop
- South Somerset Community Energy
- Bath and West Community Energy
- Wedmore Community Power Co-Op
- Low Carbon Gordano
- Bristol Community Energy
- Mendip Power Group
- Cheddar Hydro Group
- West Mendip CE
- Axevale Climate Action Group
Other organisations attending:
- Diocese Bath and Wells
- DSO NGED Community Energy lead
- Regen
- Empowered Projects
- Somerset Council
- Sunlit Solar Solar rooftops