I became familiar with community energy ten years ago, in my first 'proper' job where I was supporting schools to install solar panels (80 schools, 2,000+ panels). The logic was clear: install solar panels through crowdfunding or a community energy model and get lower energy bills, a chance to boost budgets for years to come, and build community commitment and conversation.

I didn’t know it at the time, but these were the glory days of community energy. A healthy Feed in Tariff (FiT) offering high returns for shareholders (I still get 7% on my tiny investment in two welsh wind turbines) and guaranteeing producers a set price for the electric they generate for up to 25 years - at one point the FiT was paying 25p per kwh! Yet that all came crashing down in 2015 when that once healthy Feed in Tariff was drastically cut. Despite best efforts from my employers at the time through the ‘Keep Fits Campaign’ (flashmob outside the Department for Energy and Climate change anyone?) the cuts left the future of community energy unclear.

Ten+ years on and after years of stop start funding; it is genuinely thrilling to see this incredibly powerful model given the recognition it deserves for creating locally owned, clean energy systems - and by Prime Minister Andy Burnham no less. The Prime Minister took to LinkedIn to showcase his support for community energy as he formally launched the next steps in GB Energy’s journey - two long awaited funding pots, which in his words will mean:

“villages, towns and cities can harness the natural resources around them with solar panels on libraries, publicly owned windfarms, hydro schemes in their rivers, or whatever else works for them….and help people make the change by creating jobs, lowering bills and bringing power back to them.” 

What GB Energy has announced

So let’s get into it - what has been announced, and how can your local or combined authority benefit.

Firstly, if you’re not yet familiar with GB Energy then best to start by reading this blog by my colleague Daniel Grieve. For those in the know, you will remember that back in February 2026 GB Energy launched its Local Power Plan which sets a clear goal that by 2030, every community in the UK will have the opportunity to own a local energy project. This mission is backed by up to £1bn worth of investment through grants, loans, advice and more. The Prime Minister launched the first wave of this grant support in the form of two pilot pots.

• GBE Community Fund: Grants for local community energy projects, led by community energy organisations
• GBE Partnerships Fund: Grants for partnerships between local or combined authorities and community energy groups

The good news is that neither pots are being run on a first come, first served basis, unlike funding of the past. However, there is only an 8 week window for this pilot round so applications need to be in by no later than 12th November 2026 at 11:55pm.

How to make the most of the partnerships grant

The partnerships grant is the most relevant pot for local and combined authorities as it is specifically built to support partnerships with community energy organisations. Any authority can apply, county councils, districts, unitary, metropolitan, combined authorities. Just not town and parish councils.

There are two stages you can apply for within this grant pot, with each running as a separate award. 

Stage 1: Partnership formation and feasibility - up to £40k available

This funding aims to support the development of a partnership and establishment of potential sites. This pot is for you if you’re looking to kick start your journey or in the early stages of and need the funding to make the case internally, assess which sites are feasible, develop or strengthen a partnership with a community energy group, and/or test the waters with your wider community through engagement. You could use this to put forward multiple sites in your council portfolio - schools, libraries and leisure centres - and secure the funding to assess which ones are feasible, and with which community partner.

Stage 2: Development and investment readiness - up to £100k available

This funding is for authorities who are further on in their journey with an understanding of feasibility, technology, project costs and revenue and a formal local authority and community energy group partnership with defined roles and responsibilities. This funding can be used to secure planning permission, land rights or site agreements, further detailed financial modelling and general investment readiness activities. 

Key things to consider in your application for either stage:

• It’s in the grant name, but partnership is key. They’re clear - you don’t need to have a partnership in place (for stage 1 at least) but you do need to have a plan to identify a partnership. All achievable, and the funding will help, but don’t scrimp on your commitment to partnership working. Without it, you won’t be successful.
• The funding is granted upfront, but it is only paid as reimbursement of costs (defrayment). So read the funding guidance to understand whether your activities would be considered eligible expenditure. 
• In both pots, the authority is the lead organisation and is required to manage all grant funds. So if some of your funding will cover work delivered by a community energy group, you need to have the systems to manage that internally.
• Additionality is key. It is not enough to say the work will help you do more of the same. This funding needs to make the difference - it needs to make the impossible possible. Be clear on that in your application by explaining how it will unlock progress and scale up ambition.
• This is just a pilot round, so yes, we will keep pushing for the remaining £970m.

Useful resources and guidance

The good news is that you’re not alone in piecing a bid together, there are lots of resources out there to support you.

The community solar on council Assets’ toolkit. I can’t recommend it enough so before you start, read that toolkit as it is your one stop shop on where to start in making a successful bid for this funding round. It was funded by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub and written by Rachel Coxcoon (ClimateGuide) with support from Community Energy Pathways, UK100 and Community Energy England. In its development I sat on calls with our members who detailed the challenges they faced in progressing community energy internally, both technical and political barriers, and this toolkit offers solutions to every single one of them. LGR making you nervous - it’s got an answer. Procurement pathways unclear - it’s got your back. Not sure how to establish a partnership with a community energy group - check out the partnership assessment framework. Don’t know how to get a decision through the different internal hoops - use the decision paper template to see you through. We’re hosting an online workshop with Ashden, Centre for Sustainable Energy, ClimateGuide, and Community Energy Pathways on 7th October to help you put this toolkit to use on your GB Energy bids. Sign up here.

Your local Net Zero Hub is available to offer support and guidance on your application, including feedback on draft applications. Get in contact with them sooner rather than later.

Watch our roundtable with Energy Saving Trust and Thrive Renewables to understand even more about community energy, how you can make it work in your area, and who can help you.

Get in touch with us! We’re happy to help too and we’re especially keen to hear your feedback on the process, because as a pilot - if something isn’t working, GB Energy wants to know about it. We can collate that feedback and bring you together with the GB Energy team to discuss it so do contact us at membership@uk100.org.

The above is intended as a summary so please read the GB Energy website for detailed guidance and to apply by 12th November 2026 at 11:55pm. 

Get your thinking hats, good luck and watch out for more support from UK100 with a further toolkit and webinar planned in December.