I have worked on community renewable energy for over twelve years, and have experience of working with all stakeholders in this debate: national and local government, community organisations, commercial energy companies and universities.
Current and recent work in this area includes:
- A jointly-authored research report for the British Academy, investigating the cultural influences and impacts of community energy (2015-16)
- Strategic advice to the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, looking at how they could support community renewable energy, both through grant-making and through their social investment arm (2014)
- A role as Vice-Chair of the Shared Ownership Taskforce, a joint industry-community forum developing recommendations for shared ownership of renewable energy projects between commercial developers and the community (ongoing)
- Consultancy for Airvolution, an independent commercial wind energy developer, on approaches to community engagement – the report is published here (2013)
- Work with Pure Leapfrog, convening stakeholders and writing guidance notes to help commercial developers and community groups work together to develop renewables projects (ongoing)
- Advice to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, as a member of the Community Energy Contact Group (2012-14)
- Policy development and advocacy for Co-operatives UK, in particular, contributing to the development of DECC’s Community Energy Strategy (ongoing)
- Consultancy for the Department of Energy, Trade and Industry (DETI) in Northern Ireland, on the policy framework for community renewable energy, as part of a team led by the Centre for Sustainable Energy. The report is available here (2012)
- Work with the Lake District National Park Authority and local communities within the National Park, looking at options for community renewable energy in a rural setting (2010-2014)
- Membership of the Advisory Board of a major three-year academic project, Community Innovation for Sustainable Energy, at the University of Sussex (2010-13)
I have also published extensively on the subject, as listed below. I work with a small team of independent researchers who can provide further expertise, including community engagement specialists Jenny Willis and Gwen Harrison.
If there are ways in which I could help your thinking on community energy, please get in touch.
Publications on community energy:
‘The role of communities’, in The Power Book, LGiU / SERA / The Co-operative Party, 2012
Demanding Less: Why we need a new politics of energy, Green Alliance, 2011
