Pathways for projects

Once your group sets off on the path towards a low carbon or renewable energy project, getting people involved will be crucial.

You'll need to get your community thinking about energy and seeing the potential benefits of your project. You may want to encourage local residents to take part, or join your group as volunteers. Or you may be trying to involve people from your council, make links with local organisations and networks, and get local businesses on board. 

Below are some downloads that give advice and guidance on all of these processes.

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If you have a project which may be contentious, or on which you are keen to get input from a range of stakeholders, this section also explains how to run a community consultation in a constructive way to get the best results.

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An obvious way to get people from your community involved in your project is to hold public events: an energy day, a stall at a market or village fete, a film night, talks, or demonstrations, or a public consultations.

All events need careful planning. This section contains a range of resources to help you plan, promote or facilitate an event that pulls in the public and other stakeholders, is on-message and well-run. 

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In this section you can find a series of exercises which will help you and your community or group in the development of your project.

They will take you from a starting point of looking at renewables and deciding which technology might be best for you, onto choosing where to site it, through deciding what type of structure would work for your group, before looking how to fund your project and what you might invest your profits in.

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An introduction to the technologies

• Solar power: an introduction

• Biomass: an introduction

• Wind: an introduction

• Hydro power: an introduction

• Heat pumps: an introduction

• Energy from waste: an introduction

Which technology is best for you?

• Solar power: things to consider before starting a project

• Biomass woodland management: things to consider before starting a project

• Biomass boilers: things to consider before starting a project

• Biomass district heating or an Esco: things to consider before starting a project

• Wind: things to consider before starting a project

• Hydro power: things to consider before starting a project

• Heat pumps: things to consider before starting a project

• Anaerobic digestion: things to consider before starting a project

• How community projects come about

Case studies

• Solar PV on a community-scale in West Oxford

• Solar hot water at a swimming pool in Bovey Tracey, Devon

• Biomass boiler for a church in Gulworthy Cross, Devon

• Biomass district heating for a small community in Sussex

• Biomass district heating on a Barnsley estate

• Woodfuel project for the communities of Spaunton and Appleton-le-Moors

• Wind turbine for a community in Hockerton, Nottinghamshire

• Hydro-electric for a community in Settle, North Yorkshire

• Heat pump for a community building in Woolfardisworthy, Devon

• Anaerobic digestion in Silloth, Cumbria

Managing a community project

• Managing a community project

• Community-led planning for a low-carbon future

• Running a community consultation

• A cautionary tale about consulting with the community

Becoming legally recognised

• Becoming a legally recognised entity

• Different legal structures work for different groups

Dealing with the planning system

• Statutory planning

• Engaging with your local council

• Getting planning permission

• Listed buildings, heritage and landscape

• Permits, permissions and planning

Funding your project and reinvesting your profits. 

• Project finance

• Funding your project through a share issue

• Traditional bank finance

• Feed-in tariffs and other finance streams

• Grants and other charitable funding

• How Triodos Bank funds community projects

• Funding and income streams

• Re-investing your income

• Savings, profits and reinvestments