Thirty local renewable energy projects stretching from Cornwall to Cumbria were today named as the first recipients of the government’s Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) this year to help develop projects across England.
They represent a range of technologies, including community-scale anaerobic digestion, solar power, hydropower and wind energy, as well as renewable and low-carbon heat networks.
One of the projects, which will provide heat directly to a local primary school, involves a community-owned anaerobic digestion facility. It will also generate income from the sale of electricity to benefit other community projects in a community group partnership with four farms.
A joint initiative between DECC and DEFRA, the £15 million Rural Community Energy Fund was created to help community groups based in rural areas develop their own local renewable energy projects.
Administered by resource efficiency experts WRAP, the fund provides up to £150,000 of funding to individual projects for feasibility and pre-planning development work to help them become investment ready.
UK energy minister, Greg Barker said: “It’s great to see so many communities across the UK benefitting from local clean energy. I want to see more communities becoming producers of energy – powering schools, market towns and community centres sustainably – and boosting their economy at the same time.”
Environment minister Dan Rogerson said that he hoped the fund would strengthen the rural economy, safeguard the environment, and allow communities to unlock the potential of renewable energy.
Richard Swannell, director WRAP, added: “RCEF is helping communities to not only think about renewable energy, but achieve it and reap the benefits locally.
“I’m delighted by the interest we’ve received, and the ambitious nature of projects we’ve had in the first year. It’s helped give renewable energy a boost from the ground up.”
Many more projects were expected to receive financial support over the six-year lifetime of the fund, he said.