Our final two community energy forums of 2024 for National Grid capped off a year of big developments. Here, Robbie Evans looks at the standout moments and discussion points from the sessions in Birmingham and Swansea.
In November, National Grid hosted two in-person autumn community energy forums, in Birmingham and Swansea, bringing to a close a year of big developments in the sector. These forums form part of a series of six events (two online and four in-person) that Regen has delivered this year for National Grid as part of its programme of community energy support.
The agenda for these events was formed both from previous event feedback and wider changes going on in the sector, such as the formation of GB Energy and proposals around the Local Power Plan. For a full breakdown of the discussions, click here for Birmingham and here for Swansea.
Pioneering policy and partnerships in Swansea
One of the standout stories from Swansea was Gwyrdd Bangla, a collaboration between Ynni Teg and the Bengal Dragons. The project works around the challenges of grid capacity that have been blocking generation projects and instead focuses squarely on community needs. It directly tackles the impact of the climate crisis and high energy costs on the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities of South Wales, providing energy storage, solar PV and electric vehicle charging points across 12 community buildings, including mosques.
A panel on shared ownership in Wales brought forward innovative financing and collaboration models, and the importance of amplifying and quantifying the wider economic benefit of shared ownership. One example given was that of the difference between a typical community benefit fund of £5,000 per MW from a private developer, versus the £43,000 per MW that Awel Amen Tawe’s community wind farm recirculates locally.
Representatives from the Welsh government highlighted how the wave of energy policies announced over recent years are intersecting at a national and local level, while the newly formed Ynni Cymru outlined its growing suite of resources – from grants to toolkits – to help communities unlock their energy potential.
Tackling fuel poverty, generating social value and securing funding
In Birmingham, fuel poverty emerged as a major focus. Bristol Energy Network (BEN) presented the extensive work they’ve been doing in recent years, including the Energy Help Desk, which equips households with energy-saving know-how, and the Energy Champion programme to train locals in efficiency measures.
There were also three workshops on the day, spanning a wide range of topics:
- Funding applications: Led by the Midlands Net Zero Hub, participants explored the art of targeting the right grants, crafting clear and persuasive submissions, and ensuring transparent budgeting.
- Community engagement: Regen’s session ran through useful engagement techniques for a couple of different scenarios, with participant discussion dwelling on the significant resources required to engage properly and the difficulty of reaching residents in rural areas.
- Innovation and social value: A workshop led by Staffordshire Community Energy introduced doughnut economics and frameworks that measure and attempt to amplify the social impact of community energy projects. A good example of the work being done in this area is Staffordshire’s own Keep Warm, Keep Well scheme in partnership with local NHS trusts.
GB Energy: A chance to supercharge the sector?
The announcement of GB Energy and the Local Power Plan has been responsible for a lot of renewed excitement in the community energy sector. With representatives from the team setting up GB Energy in attendance, participants in both Birmingham and Swansea were given the chance to discuss and suggest how this new body might best support them.
Attendees were encouraged to engage in ‘blue-sky thinking’, the idea being that now is the time to make an ambitious case for community energy support to the government. The responses received in both forums were inspiring and insightful. You can read a summary of these sessions here.
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