Powering Forward Community Energy
Community Energy Scotland is a delivery partner of the Energy Learning Network, which brings together collaborators across the UK to strengthen the community energy sector. We support people and organisations to take action on energy in their communities, while working with councils, stakeholders and other enablers to create the conditions for community energy to grow and thrive.
The Energy Learning Network is powering forward community energy projects across the UK
🔑 Do we need a UK-wide online networking and knowledge-sharing forum for the community energy sector? A hub for sharing knowledge, asking questions, solving problems and connecting with peers across the sector?
🔑 Now is the opportunity to have your say in this short questionnaire that will take less than 5 minutes to complete. Closes 2 September.
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.
Community Energy Scotland is a delivery partner in the Energy Learning Network alongside climate solutions charity Ashden, Community Energy England, Community Energy Wales, Northern Ireland’s Action Renewables and the Centre for Sustainable Energy.
The Energy Learning Network is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
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
