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Great British Energy Community Fund

Please note: The Great British Energy Community Fund is not accepting new applications at this time

Empowering Communities, Energizing Futures

Funding of up to £140,000 is available to help parish and town councils, community organisations, faith groups, community interest companies and even sports teams get started on clean power projects that benefit their local areas.

About the Fund

The Great British Energy Community Fund is the first grant programme for community energy projects funded by Great British Energy – the new publicly-owned energy company

It’s designed to help local communities across the UK transition to sustainable energy solutions and empower communities to take control of their energy needs, reduce carbon footprints, and create a greener, more sustainable future for all.

The Great British Energy Community Fund is a £5million programme being delivered by the five Net Zero Hubs in England on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Great British Energy.

 The Vision

The government wants every community in the UK to have access to clean, renewable energy.

By providing financial support for project development it is aiming to foster innovation, drive local energy projects, and promote energy independence.

This fund aims to:

  • Support communities – by helping them to maximise the income generating potential of renewable energy and put this to work locally;  
  • Make progress against the Government’s target to increase renewable energy generation, and promote community-owned renewable schemes; and  
  • Promote growth and job creation – to enable communities to access the economic benefits associated with renewable energy schemes. 

Funding Available

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:

  • Investigating possible purchase of land (legal fees for example),
  • Environmental impact assessments,
  • Submitting planning applications and permitting applications
  • Developing a full investment business plan. 

The following organisations are eligible:

  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation
  • Community Benefit Society
  • Community Interest Company
  • Co-operative Society
  • Development Trust
  • Pre-Commencement Society
  • Registered Charity (including eligible faith groups, sports clubs,)
  • Registered Social Landlord
  • Registered Society
  • Town or Parish Council

Feasibility studies exploring the following technologies are eligible for funding:

  • Anaerobic digestion
  • Biogas heat network
  • Bio liquids/gas/fuels
  • Biomass heat network
  • Electric vehicle infrastructure (publicly available, incorporating generation/storage)
  • Heat pumps
  • Heat pump-fed heat networks (e.g., heat zoning for a village)
  • Hydropower
  • Solar (photo voltaic)
  • Solar (thermal)
  • Wind power
  • Battery storage

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

Apply for Funding

  1. Check Eligibility: Review our eligibility criteria to ensure your project qualifies.
  2. Read the Guidance Document: Read the guidance document relevant to your required stage of funding in full before completing the application form.
  3. Submit Your Application: Complete the below application form with details about your project, including objectives, budget, and expected impact, and submit to enquiries@neynetzerohub.com alongside the required supporting documentation.
  4. Applications were accepted from May 30th 2025 until November 12th 2025 in a rolling application format. The fund is currently closed to new applications and we will advise of any future funding rounds.
  5. Review Process: All applications will be appraised internally by our Community Energy Team and moderated by external experts. Full due diligence checks will be completed on all applications. Funding recommendations will be presented to the Hub Board for approval at set Board Meetings.
  6. Funding Decision: Successful applicants will receive funding and support to bring their projects to life. Funding will be allocated to successful applicants on a first come first served basis.

You will then have 12 months to complete your project, from the date of your funding offer.

Documents

GBECF Stage 1 Guidance

NEY GBE Community Fund Stage 1 – Application Form

NEY GBE Community Fund Stage 2 – Application Form

GBECF Stage 2 Guidance

NEY GBECF Stage 1 Type A – Feasibility Report Structure

NEY GBECF Stage 1 Type B – Feasibility Report Structure

Projects funded to date

The following projects received funding from Round 1 of GBECF:

  • 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.

The following projects received funding from Round 2: 

  • 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  – 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.

Other examples of successful local energy projects can be found in the videos below!