Community Energy Projects
We support the delivery of community owned energy to Nottinghamshire, with various innovative projects designed to help communities generate clean power, reduce costs, create local benefits and take greater control of their energy future.
Nottinghamshire Community Energy
Nottingham Community Energy (NCE) was established in 2015 by a group of experienced Nottinghamshire-based professionals with the assistance of Mongoose Energy (now Bright Renewables). NCE set up a community fund to finance projects that benefit the local community.
Case Study: Nottingham Community Energy 5MW Solar Farm
A community owned asset that provides valuable income that is annually re-invested back into community. The average annual solar output is around 4,800 MegaWatt hours (MWh) enough to meet the equivalent annual electricity demand for around 1,500 homes.
The surplus profits are paid into the NCE Community Fund, administered by NEP to deliver community-owned renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy supply projects to benefit the local community. In 2025, the fund offered grants totalling £30,000 towards the cost of the installation of almost 70kWh of solar energy on the roof of a local community centre, rugby club and church hall.
The grants also enabled the installation of battery storage, LEDs and the replacement of old oil boilers for two village halls.
WiseGrid Project
WiseGrid is a new community energy project exploring how neighbours can share and trade locally generated renewable energy.
In The Meadows, Nottingham, residents will test how rooftop solar and battery storage could enable households to buy and sell energy within their community.
Led by the University of Nottingham, MOZES, SmartKlub and NEP, WiseGrid aims to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon technologies while making better use of the electricity grid.
The project will explore whether local energy trading could:
Lower energy bills through a community tariff
Increase income for solar generators selling surplus energy locally
Encourage investment in rooftop solar and battery storage
Reduce pressure and costs on the wider grid
Support a cleaner, more local energy system, separate from fluctuating global energy markets
WiseGrid will test the model in The Meadows and explore how local energy trading and community energy could be scaled to benefit communities in the future.
Why does community energy matter?
Community energy gives local people more control over how clean, renewable energy is produced, used and funded. Instead of profits leaving the area, they can be reinvested locally to strengthen communities, improve infrastructure and support the local economy.
From solar farms and wind turbines to hydro schemes, community energy can help reduce fossil fuel use, lower energy costs and tackle fuel poverty. It also builds local resilience, reduces pressure on the national grid and helps the UK move towards net zero.
What support is available?
From our side at NEP, you can visit the Nottinghamshire Community Energy website to learn more about the community fund, which provides financial support for local projects pursuing their energy ambitions.
The UK Government’s Local Power Plan is also part of its wider clean energy programme. It outlines how Great British Energy will help community energy projects grow, with up to £1 billion available through grants, loans, advice and technical expertise.
The plan aims to help communities overcome common barriers, including funding, technical knowledge and capacity, and support projects from early ideas through to delivery.
Want to join the community energy movement?
Interested in finding out more about local projects and how you can get involved?
Give us a call on 0115 985 9057 or check out the websites linked above to find ways you can join in.