MaidEnergy arose from the Transition Town movement to become a local renewable energy society. We supply solar power to local schools and community buildings, reducing their energy bills and helping educate children about renewable power.
71 t
Est. annual reduction in carbon
emissions (tonnes CO2 eq)
13,000
Est. number of people
who benefit directly
Our story
A small group of people with a shared interest in climate change mitigation realised that collectively we had enough of the skill mix to initiate a solar project in our spare time. We established a financial model for installing solar, then we secured seed funding from our local authority to develop the required governance and legal framework. Running our first successful share offer was a momentous event which proved our capability and was the beginning of our track record for local solar in the context of government subsidy. Since subsequent share offers, our portfolio covers 7 sites, £450k of investment and over 100 members. Beneficiaries are the community site owners who benefit from lower cost energy, the adults and children who use those sites and our co-op of >100 investors.
Our advice
Voluntary groups with little funds are slow to progress - avoid deadlines e.g. FiT
Projects have greater certainty when you involve committed experts.
If a co-op has multiple projects, lump share offer % returns together (it's more ethical).
Try to repeat your successes, rather than experimenting with new projects each time.
Our metrics
Tonnes of carbon emissions reduced.
Number of sites with solar installations.
Community support with funding and new projects.
Reading Borough Council requires all new residential developments of 10+ homes to be built to zero carbon standards wherever possible. Zero carbon is an achievable standard that was intended to be a national requirement in UK building regulations.
Hastings Borough Council offers a range of services to low-income private sector residents to help make their homes cheaper and easier to heat, contributing to its target of being net zero by 2030.
Cambridgeshire County Council is implementing a range of ambitious solar energy projects. Solar farms that will deliver surplus energy, and therefore revenue, are prioritised to strengthen the council’s finances.
This whole system Smart Energy Plan developed for Greater Manchester provides a targeted focus for the GMCA and local partners through a defined roadmap and integrated projects that are boosting jobs, improving housing and lowering emissions.
By using digital tools and resources such as the Place Standard Tool, ClimateView and Climate Just, Dundee City Council can identify where people are facing social deprivation and are most vulnerable to climate threats, for more targeted climate action.