Exeter Community Energy is an innovative social enterprise that enables local people to take ownership of renewable energy and energy saving projects. As a community-owned organisation, we want to benefit the city, its people and the environment. One element of this is sharing the financial benefits between shareholders, a fund for community projects and investment in further energy projects. Our eight solar power installations have generated over 1.1GWh to date and saved over 363 tonnes of carbon. Over the projects’ 20 years lifespan, we expect to make over £170,000 available to the Community Fund.
We have eight rooftop solar installations at Shillingford Organics, Wonford Community and Learning Centre, Exeter Central Library, Great Moor House, Exeter College, Pinhoe Rd Baptist Church, Glasshouse Lane Medical Centre and The Beehive Community Complex in Honiton.
Now these installations are generating at capacity, ECOE’s work in the community is evolving. We launched our Healthy Homes for Wellbeing project in November 2017, which helps people in fuel poverty and who live in hard to heat homes reduce their energy costs and make their homes warmer. We provide energy advice drop-in clinics, talks to community groups, referrer training and in-depth home visits to householders.