Community Energy Scotland Strategy 2023-26
Background
Community Energy Scotland is Scotland’s only national charity dedicated to supporting communities across Scotland to develop their own decarbonisation & renewable energy projects. As a membership organisation representing more than 400 community energy groups across Scotland, we champion and advocate for community-led action in the transition to a low carbon future.
Over the 15 years since Community Energy Scotland was formed, we have seen countless communities of place and interest take action on energy, whether that be setting up and managing large scale renewable electricity generating projects, initiating sustainable transport programmes, or providing energy advice and support to the most vulnerable people in their communities. The effect that these projects have on communities is profound. Aside from levering in millions of pounds of financial benefits into local communities, we have also witnessed wide-ranging social and economic benefits including improving skills, providing employment opportunities and bringing the community together, often leading to establishment of other local needed services.
In the face of the climate emergency and rapidly increasing costs for electricity, heating and transport, community energy represents one of the most effective ways of ensuring that communities in Scotland benefit from climate action, and engaging people in an inclusive and participatory way on the subject of climate change. Community groups understand local people and places and the issues that they face, and they are able to design and deliver projects and communicate energy issues in a way that is relevant and accessible, leading to successful adoption and local ownership. Locally-owned energy projects delivered ‘by people, for people’ empower communities and have the potential to restore justice by considering the needs and impact of decisions on different individuals and groups now and in the future.
The context in which Community Energy Scotland and our members’ work is continuously evolving, and it is our role, as a charity, social enterprise and member-based organisation, to react and adapt in order to best support our members and communities. Against this changing background, we are committed to supporting our members to: actively engage in all aspects of the energy transition, react to opportunities, and maximise the benefits derived for their communities. In doing so, we will together drive wellbeing, inclusion, sustainability, innovation and resilience in the energy sector.
It is now necessary for Scotland to take a whole system approach to decarbonising the energy system, and this will only be possible with the active involvement of communities in every aspect of this system. This will include engagement in areas including renewable electricity and heating, transport, flexibility and storage, efficiency and demand reduction. The strategic priorities within this document set out our role over the next three years: to facilitate and support communities’ participation in all aspects of the energy system; celebrate and share successes; and advocate on behalf of our members to help to overcome barriers that community groups face in developing their own sustainable energy plans, projects and actions.
“Thinking and acting at a local level helps communities fight climate change and build resilience to climate impacts’ (UNCCC).
What is community energy?
Community energy refers to the delivery of community-led sustainable energy projects. Community energy groups are formed when people come together to create locally controlled, decentralised solutions for meeting local energy needs. They are true social enterprises and other types of ‘more than profit’ groups that represent the needs of their communities and organise collective and locally-driven action to:
- Generate renewable electricity or renewable heat, or
- Reduce energy or fossil fuel demand e.g. through sustainable transport initiatives, energy efficiency, energy advice or demand reduction, or
- Have a positive impact on energy systems e.g. through demand side management, load balancing, flexibility or storage projects.
They do this to try to create a significant community stake in future energy generation, storage and supply, not only to address environmental concerns but also to share benefits across the community, engage local people on climate change issues, increase security of local energy supply and build local resilience.
Our Vision
Our vision is of communities actively shaping a low-carbon society that values wellbeing for all.
Our Mission
We work with communities and our partners to support, promote and represent the community energy sector. We do this by providing technical assistance, knowledge sharing & championing the role of community-led action in the transition to a low-carbon future.
Our Strategic priorities
The following aims and priorities will guide Community Energy Scotland’s approach over the next three years. We will work together with a wide range of communities and other organisations and partners in order to achieve these.
Building communities’ understanding of, and capacity to participate in and benefit from, all aspects of the energy system
- Supporting community energy project development through provision of technical advice and restarting the Community Energy Futures programme.
- Leading on innovative projects in urban, rural and island contexts that can be replicated by community groups, and sharing learnings with them.
- Sharing information about key updates in the sector and facilitating knowledge exchange between our members
Working with community groups to increase resilience and give them ownership over energy generation and demand and the ability to influence and prosper from equitable benefits of a decarbonised society.
Alongside partner organisations, supporting community groups to:
- Develop and input into local and national energy planning
- Take ownership of assets including transport, storage and renewable heat and power (including repowering projects).
- Tackle energy efficiency in community-owned buildings as well as in local housing and to tackle fuel poverty, both in terms of energy use and transport.
Being the national voice on community energy; amplifying the voice and value of our members in order to engage, advocate and influence the wider energy system.
- Engaging directly with members through thematic working groups in order to remain up to date on their priorities and issues they currently face.
- Using policy and advocacy to shape the national narrative and gain recognition of communities’ role in decarbonisation, especially in terms of their ability to act quickly and develop smaller scale projects.
- Ensuring that the community voice is represented in the development of networks, smart grids etc.
Ensure that CES continues to be relevant, resilient and sustainable in a changing world
- Prioritising staff wellbeing and staff retention, recognising that our people are our most valuable asset.
- Creating a culture of continuous improvement in governance and staff development, and supporting staff to develop skills and experience for a changing sector.
- Continuously prioritising project development, innovation and financial sustainability in order to remain relevant and lever in new project funding and investment.