Welcome to The Guide to Community Solar on Council Assets

The long-awaited and eagerly anticipated Guide to Community Solar on Council Assets authored by Dr Rachel Coxcoon and developed in partnership with Community Energy Pathways, Community Energy England and UK100 is nearly ready!

Whether this is the first you’re hearing of it, or you’ve been involved in one or more of the Workshops held as part of the development of the resources, this is THE event to attend to learn about this ground-breaking, honest look at what is needed to unlock Council assets for community energy partnerships.

Thanks to excellent input from over 150 Council Officers, Councillors and members of Community Energy Groups, and Rachel’s own long experience of Council process and community energy projects, this Guide addresses the technical nitty-gritty of Council operational and legal realities that so often stand in the way of successful, mutually beneficial and socially valuable Council-Community Energy partnerships.

Got questions about roof leases and who is responsible for what during a long-term solar lease and PPA? It’s addressed in the Guide. Procurement Act 2023 giving you a problem with enabling community energy contracts? Options and process are provided in the Guide. Not sure how to get a Community Energy Strategy adopted by Councillors and Officers? Find templates for Decision Papers, briefing notes and Motions within the Guide. Worried about LGR cancelling any work you do now? That’s dealt with in the Guide too.

There are lots of excellent community energy toolkits and resources out there but this is the first one to provide a detailed, technocratic approach to what a Council Officer or Councillor will need to put in place to create the operational corporate incentives across all Council departments to make community solar on Council assets a reality for your Council.

This project has been funded by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub, and produced by The Climate Guide and Community Energy Pathways, with support from project partners, UK100 and Community Energy England.