This workshop is part of the Local Authority Community Energy Springboard project funded by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub to develop practical, ready-to-use guidance for local authorities on community-owned solar on council buildings and land.

The workshops in this series have been designed to inform the guidance and are directly relevant to the current policy context. Great British Energy's Local Power Plan commits up to £1 billion for over 1,000 community energy projects by 2030, and local and strategic authorities that are ready (i.e. those with a strategy in place and community energy partner(s) identified) will be best placed to access that funding first. The guidance we're developing is designed to help your Council get to that position quickly without reinventing the wheel.

Who is this workshop for?

This event is for Officers and Councillors, and we are particularly keen to see attendees who have roles or responsibilities in finance, procurement or legal roles and portfolios. Councillors and Officers who want to work with community energy groups but need to reassure colleagues and secure wider buy-in will learn and discuss how to make that happen.

Community energy groups in the Greater South East Net Zero Hub area are also welcome to attend to learn more about the Council perspective and how to prepare their team, governance and processes for partnering with their local Council.

What is the format and what will you get out of it?

We'll share practical guidance on what makes a community energy group a reliable and competent partner. We will hear directly from a Council that has already navigated this successfully. And there will be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss perceived or experienced risks in these partnerships and how to mitigate them.

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