This research investigates the opportunities and barriers for communities to secure at-risk finance for the development of revenue-generating renewable energy projects. Such projects deliver multiple benefits to communities, whilst helping to tackle climate change, increase energy security and bring about cultural change. There is a growing interest within UK energy policy for the role that these projects can play in the transition to a low carbon economy, matched by a growing demand from communities to develop them. However, this alignment has come at a time when public funding is increasingly difficult to obtain requiring new and innovative models to enable their development. The research is based on interviews with leading organisations within the UK community renewables sector, which are developing a range of approaches to help overcome the problem. Consideration is given to why communities are developing projects and what is important to them; as well as the nature of at-risk finance and how risk can be reduced. Fourteen different approaches are described and evaluated in terms of the process they use and the outcome that they offer, to consider what this may mean for communities in terms of ownership, control and benefit. Recommendations are made for how UK energy policy could be improved to further support community renewables.

Research written by Richard Hoggett, Energy Policy Researcher.