The Hub has delivered a number of earlier national community energy funding programmes in the North East and Yorkshire, as well as supporting them with programmes of our own.
These projects have now seen over 130 local projects given the funding they need to start local energy and heat generation projects which their communities benefit from.
On this page you can find details of those programmes and organisations funded through them – alongisde video case studies of some of the projects we’ve supported!
The Great British Energy Community Fund was a £5 million programme delivered by the five Net Zero Hubs in England on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Great British Energy.
Funding of up to £140,000 was available to help parish and town councils, community organisations, faith groups, community interest companies and sports teams get started on clean power projects that benefit their local areas.
The Fund has now closed, however is expected to reopen with two new funding opportunities in September 2026.
Details of GBECF successful projects can be found below, alongside grant information and past templates.
Community Action Northumberland – Awarded £35,224 for Stage 1 project to investigate feasibility of solar PV and accompanying battery storage on a further 8 buildings in Northumberland and planning permission for 16 buildings that have already received feasibility studies from CEF, for the Northumberland Community Energy Ltd (NCEL) project. The community ownership model being used for this project is that all of the Community Buildings will have membership to NCEL and this will ensure that the community benefits stay within the Northumberland community. This project will benefit the community by reducing energy costs for these community buildings, therefore supporting community resilience and reducing environmental impact.
The Ouseburn Trust – Awarded £65,500 for Stage 2 project to further develop their Stage 1 project from Round 2 of CEF project to investigate their buildings energy efficiency improvements, and opportunities to generate and store electricity and take it to investment ready. They will explore utilising heat pumps, Solar PV and for an electric charging point for bikes/cargo bikes for local community use. The project will be 100% community-owned, with an open, accessible and inclusive ownership model available to the whole local community and will benefit the community by reducing the impact of rising energy costs to the trust and charitable tenants ensuring their services are sustained and any surplus funds will be reinvested to strengthen their viability and a reduction in costs for the wider community. The E-bike hire scheme will offer a new transport option and reduce car usage locally.
Power Hull – Awarded £34,500 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of an Energy Local Co-op being created in the HU3 area of Hull to utilising existing solar arrays in the local area. The project will be at least 50% community-owned via a Co-operative Society accessible ownership model. The community will benefit by saving 10-20% in energy costs if they join the energy club and any surplus funds will be distributed locally.
SY Ecofit Community Interest Company – Awarded £56,000 for Stage 2 project to further develop the project at Cliffe House Farm from the Stage 1 projects from Round 2 of CEF. They will be developing the phase 1 of the project to take the Solar PV and Anaerobic digestor to the investment ready stage. Project will be 100% community-owned, with an open, accessible and inclusive ownership model available to the whole local community. The community will benefit from this project via a community share offer, a community benefit fund will support local initiatives and the reduced operational costs will ensure the long-term sustainability of the farm and shared learning could support similar projects on other farms.
SY Ecofit Community Interest Company – Awarded £40,000 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of Solar PV, Battery Storage, Biomass heat network, EV infrastructure and Anaerobic Digestion being incorporated at a Grade 1 listed house and estate, Wentworth Woodhouse. The project will explore the assets being owned by a Community Benefit Society, with finance raised through a community share offer, ensuring that it is 100% community owned. The community will benefit from this project via a community share offer, a community benefit fund will support local initiatives and the reduced operational costs will ensure the long-term sustainability of Wentworth Woodhouse and shared learning could support similar projects on other heritage sites.
Weardale Renewable Energy CIC – Awarded £99,285 for Stage 2 project, to further develop their Stage 1 project from Round 2 of CEF, that proposes to install a 600kw south facing Solar PV array at the Heights Quarry site. Weardale Renewable Energy will form a CBS or Co-op to make this project community owned, with a community share offer. The locally generated power will be offered to the local residents and organisations, at discounted tariffs, and a Community fund will be created to invest in future energy projects.
Rural Design Centre Ltd – Awarded £29,140 for Stage 1 project to investigate feasibility of Solar PV and accompanying battery storage on 15 community buildings in County Durham. The community ownership model being used for this project is that all of the Community Buildings will have membership to the cooperative organisation created for this project (Durham Energy Association Ltd) and this will ensure that the community benefits stay within the County Durham community, with membership to include each of the community buildings involved in the project. Any profits generated will be reinvested into the cooperative and fund new installations on more community buildings.
York Community Energy – Awarded £37,742 for Stage 2 project to further develop their Stage 1 project from Round 2 of CEF for a portfolio of Solar PV arrays on buildings in York. This is the phase 2 of the Stage 2 works: Phase 1 was funded in Round 3 of CEF. The project aims to reduce energy costs for the buildings involved but also the revenue generated will support the York Energy Advice service, which targets vulnerable households struggling with their energy bills. York Community Energy are a CBS, with the majority of it’s members coming from York, and will raise funds via a community share offer, ensuring that the project is community owned.
Harrogate Town Council – Awarded £39,943 for Stage 1 project to investigate feasibility of a district heating scheme in 3 prioritised areas of Bilton, Fairfax and Jennyfield, in Harrogate. The project will also explore the options to create an appropriate organisation that will ensure the district heating scheme is at least 50% community owned and the benefits that could be achieved such as heating cost reductions, health and safety improvements for householders moving away from gas heating and a community fund to make small grants to individuals, community groups and not-for-profit organisations delivering local decarbonisation or poverty alleviation projects.
Mottainai Institute CIC – Awarded £40,000 for Stage 1 project to investigate feasibility of a community-scale biochar combined heat and power (CHP) facility at the Acme Arb Ltd, sited at the Old Dairy Sheffield, with the aim to provide heat and power to local businesses. They will create a new CBS company to install this project, ensuring that the project it will be a minimum of 50% owned by the local community, using community shares, securing both ownership and democratic control. The local community will also benefit from a Community Benefit Fund that aims to distribute funds locally, targeted at households affected by fuel poverty.
SY Ecofit Community Interest Company – Awarded £40,000 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of a strategy to increase DIY retrofit uptake in South Yorkshire. The projects aims to engage diverse groups: including those living with fuel poverty and groups at higher risk of fuel poverty, to improve access to construction work for women and empower community groups to take control of their housing conditions. The project will explore the options of a suitable organisation structures to l ensure the end project is at least 70% community-owned, with governance distributed across community members and grassroots partners.
Church of England – Newcastle Diocese – Awarded £34,970 for Stage 1 project for structural surveys, following the completion of successful feasibility studies of rooftop Solar PV arrays through the NCEL project, of 10 churches within the Newcastle Diocese. NCEL are a co-operative and a Community Benefit Society with members from the beneficiary community buildings to ensure the benefits remain local. The energy generated will not only reduce energy costs and carbon emissions but will also support community resilience as the church will provide a warm space and charging facilities to local residents and any surplus revenue generated by the project will be distributed to other innovative carbon offsetting community-based benefit projects.
Environmental Smart CIC – Awarded £36,450 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of a village-wide decarbonisation solution for the village of Lastingham and will consider solar PV, hydro power and ground-source heat (shallow and deep solutions) in their study. The community ownership model will be explored through this project, and the community benefits will be lower energy costs, increased energy resilience from grid power outages and the profits will be fed back into the community.
Spennymoor Town Council – Awarded £30,000 for Stage 2 project to further develop a solar development at the former aerodrome site in Spennymoor. The project will be delivered under the Energy4All community ownership model, allowing residents to invest, share financial returns, and participate in the decision-making. The benefits to the Spennymoor community will be through a combination of direct cost savings, reinvestment of profits through the Community Benefit Fund, and local economic and environmental gains.
Environmental Smart CIC – Awarded £38,200 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of deploying a ground-source heat network to heat Malton School and the Malton Community Hospital and the residents of Malton. The community ownership model will be explored through this project and the community benefits from this project will be lower energy costs, increased energy resilience from grid power outages and the profits will be fed back into the community, as well as creating a learning centre to provide an education opportunity to the Malton School community.
The East Durham Employability Trust – Awarded £40,000 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of installing Solar PV, Battery Energy Storage System and EV charging points at their Trust site. The community-owned model will be through a not-for-profit community organisation/co-operative structure and be governed by a board made up primarily of residents and stakeholders, ensuring democratic control and accountability. Any surplus income generated will be reinvested locally via a community benefit fund to support further sustainability initiatives, energy efficiency improvements, or hardship support, as well as the project creating training, volunteering, and employment opportunities for local people.
Holy lsland of Lindisfarne Community Development Trust – Awarded £98,880 for Stage 2 project to further develop a project to install a ground mounted Solar PV array, Battery Energy Storage System and 10 fast EV chargers on the Island. The intention is to finance the project through a community share raise, to ensure it is community owned and the financial model has been structured to generate community benefit for a coordinated programme of energy efficiency and retrofit measures on residents’ homes, as well as providing a return on investment for community shareholders.
Tempus Community Projects CIC – Awarded £40,000 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of installing a Solar PV array with Battery Energy Storage and EV charging points, on a purpose-built community of residential units to support former athletes and military personnel living with CTE and early onset dementia. The community ownership model will be determined in this project via a suitable not-for-profit community organisation or co-operative organisation with a board primarily composed of local residents and stakeholders, to ensure control, accountability, and alignment is within community priorities. This aim is to create a local renewable energy system that supplies the site and provides affordable public charging for residents, businesses, and visitors. Any surplus income generated will be reinvested locally via a community benefit fund, to support initiatives such as further renewable energy projects, energy efficiency improvements, and hardship support for vulnerable households.
Clean Energy Leeds (previously known as Alwoodley Community Energy) – Awarded £18,534 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility to install solar PV systems on up to four community centres across Leeds. Clean Energy Leeds is a Community Benefit Society, with an open membership to the community, with all members able to vote and ensure the project is community owned. A community fund will be created from surplus income, to pay for feasibility studies for further projects, or offer grants to local community groups, as well as ensure the inclusive activities offered by the centres are sustained due to saving energy costs.
York Community Energy – Awarded £39,973 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of a solar-to-rail scheme on sites close to the Hambleton Junction rail line area. A Special Purpose Vehicle will be created which will ensure that there’s a minimum of 50% community ownership: Post-commissioning, York Community Energy ownership will be refinanced through a community share offer or bond issue. The surplus income generated will form a community fund to support projects and organisations that the local community deem to be most important, including low carbon technologies to local buildings.
Sheffield Renewables Ltd – Awarded £40,000 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of a 2-5MWp solar PV on Doncaster’s logistics roof space, aiming to connect these arrays via private wire to the Potteric Carr SFC and supply rail demand, under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement, should this be deemed feasible. A Special Purpose Vehicle will be created which will ensure that there’s a minimum of 50% community ownership: Post-commissioning, Sheffield Renewables ownership will be refinanced through a community share offer. Profits will be distributed locally and will be targeted at households affected by fuel poverty or energy advice services to those in fuel poverty.
Rural Design Centre – Awarded £55,250 for Stage 2 project to further develop their project to install EV chargers on 5 separate community buildings across Teesdale. This will give local residents more opportunity to change to EV vehicles and also offer the facility to visitors, to make sure Teesdale are not left behind without adequate charging facilities as the number of EV vehicles increase. This project will deliver EV charging infrastructure in deep rural areas and communities with high deprivation, where public charging is scarce, expensive, and often poorly maintained. Offering local discounts of up to 10% and the annual surplus will be reinvested into a community fund for local priorities. The project will explore community share offers and cooperative models, to ensure the community ownership.
Craghead Community Association – Awarded £37,850 for Stage 1 project to investigate the feasibility of a local flexibility cell involving coordinated battery storage, existing rooftop solar systems and domestic EV chargers in the village of Craghead. As well as lowering energy costs to householders and improving resilience, the revenue generated from the project will flow back into a community fund, supporting further installations and tackling fuel poverty. The feasibility study will identify an appropriate Community Benefit Society structure to manage the coordination and oversight, ensuring transparency and equitable benefit sharing, ensuring it is at least 50% community owned.
Stage 1 – Feasibility Grant
For those communities at an early stage of exploring the possibility of a renewable energy Project, and which meet the Fund’s eligibility criteria, this stage offers grants of up to a maximum of £40,000 to cover consultancy and professional costs for the development of a feasibility study.
Stage 2 – Development Grant
For Projects which demonstrate a good chance of securing planning permission and being implemented, the NEY Net Zero Hub will consider further development funding of up to £100,000 to enable more detailed investigation into the key areas of technology selection including:
The following organisations are eligible:
Feasibility studies exploring the following technologies are eligible for funding:
Technologies NOT on this list will be considered on a case-by-case basis and you should contact the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub for advice before applying.
NEY GBE Community Fund Stage 1 – Application Form
NEY GBE Community Fund Stage 2 – Application Form
The Community Energy Fund (CEF) was a national grant scheme for urban and rural communities to develop energy services to benefit their local area. The Fund was succeeded by the Great British Energy Fund.
Across three rounds of funding the following organisations received funding through the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub.
The Hub secured three rounds of funding through the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for capital grants of between £30,000 and £245,000 available to Community Energy Groups, Public Sector Organisations, charities, and other eligible organisations wanting to deliver local energy projects.
17 projects were offered a combined grant award of £422,296, with an additional two projects being offered funding in November, resulting in an overall grant offer of £476,450 across 19 projects.
A further ten projects were offered a combined grant award of £535,423 – with match funding of £675,409.
A further four projects were offered a combined grant award of £215,000 – providing match funding of £419,746.
The Hub allocated £302,000 in funding from the Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) which supported community energy groups to progress innovative community energy projects in non-urban areas following successful feasibility studies.
The successful projects were:
