This report identifies four community energy group characterisations, providing insights to help stakeholders better understand and engage groups according to their different motivations, challenges, and support needs.
Resource
Community energy group characterisations
Produced by CAG Consultants for the North West Net Zero Hub in June 2025, this research explores the characteristics, motivations, challenges, and support needs of groups involved in community energy.
The report identifies four community energy group characterisations: emerging, developing, and established community energy groups, alongside other community groups exploring energy projects.
The findings provide a useful resource for stakeholders looking to better understand and engage with different groups at different stages of their community energy journey, including the types of guidance, resources, and support that may be most valuable.
The four community energy groups
What motivates people to get involved in community energy initiatives? What barriers do they face in project development? What communications and outreach will most effectively engage with them? What support is needed to develop and scale projects?
To answer these questions, this project sought to typify representatives of various types of community energy groups, and detail their key characteristics, challenges, and support needs.
The four community energy groups that were identified and studied include:
- Emerging community energy groups
New, volunteer-led, learning as they go, no paid staff. - Developing community energy groups
Some projects delivered, growing, mostly volunteers, aspiring to professionalise. - Established community energy groups
Multiple projects, paid staff, robust governance, sector leaders. - Other community groups
Main focus is not community energy, but may be considering or already running small energy projects as a side activity.
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