Powering Forward Community Energy
The network will share learning and support collaboration between communities acting on energy, as well as between the organisations that support them across the UK. We will also bring free insights, resources and connections to existing community energy groups, as well as to communities looking to become involved in local energy projects for the first time. It will create mentoring and peer learning opportunities too.
Energy Learning Network: a UK-wide programme powering forward community energy projects, helping more groups to launch or grow their schemes
Message us here to sign up for updates: eln@communityenergy.scot
Find our webinars on our You Tube channel
Document Resources
Social, Economic & Environmental Value delivered by Community Energy – CES evidence paper
The Case for Community Energy – Energy Learning Network briefing paper
Financial Modeling for Community Energy – briefing notes for webinar Sept 2025
State of the Sector – 2025 report
Technical Helpline
The ELN Technical Helpline provides technical support and advice to Community Energy groups covering:
- Energy Generating Technologies; Energy Efficiency Measures; Energy Monitoring; Metering, Bills & Tariffs; Data Analysis; Carbon Auditing; Feasibility Study; Options Appraisals; Income Generation Models (e.g. Local Energy Markets); Transport Infrastructure; Grid Connections.
- Support and advice can be provided at any stage of a project, from those at initial development phase or community engagement, through to those with existing infrastructure. Note this support focuses on small, specific questions rather than tackling large or complex queries.
- See this link for the helpline Online question form which will be assessed by the technical support team to check it’s something they can help with. Please note you may be contacted by them for more information or to arrange a call.
Peer Mentoring Programme
We’re pleased to be able to report that the ELN peer mentoring programme, which was launched earlier in 2025, is a great success and we have received much positive feedback from the mentees. In the current programme, there are four mentors based in Scotland supporting mentees, and eleven Scottish communities receiving the mentoring service.
The programme has been so successful to date, that another community energy capacity building project, Community Energy Launchpad, is rolling out its own mentoring programme based on the ELN model.
More ELN information and useful links below:
The Community Learning Exchange – funding for our community members to enable visits to community projects for mutual learning and ideas sharing – click on the link for more details of this valuable opportunity!
See our Resources page full of helpful information, knowledge-sharing webinar recordings, and links
Watch out for notices about Scottish and UK webinars, and other events on the ELN landing page and social media
The Energy Learning Network: A bold UK-wide collaborative project to enable community groups focused on energy to maximise their scale and impact, whilst supporting those new to the sector.
The community energy sector, especially our members, already delivers a wide range of valuable local services tackling the climate crisis and fuel poverty, from locally owned solar pv, wind and hydro installations, delivering energy bill savings for organisations and individuals, to trusted low carbon retrofit and energy advice services to communities across the UK. The ELN will help grow, replicate and expand this activity currently delivered by over 600 organisations with 69,500 members across the UK. The Network is a new initiative funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, led by Ashden Climate Solutions and delivered in partnership with Community Energy England, Community Energy Scotland, Community Energy Wales, Action Renewables and Centre for Sustainable Energy.
The Energy Learning Network (ELN) will fill gaps in support that currently exist for community energy by creating and promoting UK wide accessible resources that will support the establishment, development and delivery of community energy projects – helping more groups launch or grow schemes that decarbonise the grid, create resilience, reduce energy bills, and create meaningful benefits for local people. There will be specific opportunities for peer mentoring support for community energy organisations, as well as shared learning opportunities to further skills and grow the sector.
Community Energy Scotland’s role:
- Supporting new and existing community driven energy projects to maximise and scale their impact
- Enhancing our online resources to support the needs of present CE organisations as well as those wishing to enter the sector
- Developing a programme of training and networking events
- Using data insights from the State of the Sector report and other evidence to shape our plans and delivery
- Creating an enabling environment for community energy to flourish by developing our strategic partnerships with other national institutions and organisations
