Southwark Community Energy Fund
What the fund is for
The fund is for community-led projects that generate renewable energy or reduce energy use on community buildings. This includes:
- solar panels and batteries
- heat pumps
- insulation and retrofitting
- LED lighting
- other innovative ideas, such as new technologies
Successful projects will promote equality, deliver social value and support a just climate transition for our residents. The fund will also support the growth of the community energy sector by helping to create or expand local community energy groups.
The are four streams available for applicants, which cover a range of different stages in project development. You should consider which stream best fits your project or idea before applying. If you're unsure, contact us for advice.
- Stream A – Pre-feasibility development
- Stream B – Feasibility studies for new projects and business case development
- Stream C – Capital funding for project implementation and delivery
- Stream D – Capacity building, training, events and engagement
Stream A – Pre-feasibility development
Amount available: up to £5,000 per project.
This stream is to fund the initial assessments needed to see if an energy project is feasible, like an audit of your building. Completing these stages will allow your project to move on to further feasibility and business case development, such as identifying the suitability of renewable energy or energy-saving measures for a building or set of buildings.
Apply for this stream if you know that you want to start a community energy project, but you don’t know exactly what project is suitable, or if your building is suitable.
Stream B – Feasibility studies for new projects and business case development
Amount available: up to £15,000 is available per project.
This stream will help you develop your community energy project to the point where you can seek capital funding. For example, it could fund structural surveys of your building or assess the feasibility of a grid connection.
Apply for this stream if you know your building is suitable, and you now need funding to develop your project to the point when you could then seek capital funding.
Stream C – Capital funding for project implementation and delivery
Amount available: up to 33% of the total cost of the project, limited to £50,000 per project. Full or part funding of the cost of solar installation projects up to a peak output of 20 kilowatts (kWp).
This stream will fund the cost of delivering a project, such as buying and installing solar panels, delivering a retrofit project or installing LED lighting.
Apply for this stream if your project is ready to be delivered.
Stream D – Capacity building, training, events and engagement
Amount available: up to £20,000 per project.
This stream is to empower residents from all backgrounds to take part in community energy projects. For example, organising events to support the development of a new community energy group.
Apply for this stream if you want to set up a new community energy group or cooperative, or if you want to help others to do so. You may also wish to grow your existing group or undertake energy training.
Read our full prospectus (PDF, 698kb).
Page last updated: 19 March 2024
