Community led housing at Kings Tamerton
Our first venture into affordable, community-led housing.
Read MoreCommunity ownership
People care more about things that they own.
We give people control over what matters to them.
How it works
Our family of organisations purposely uses a cooperative, member-led structure to allow community representatives to take leadership on local solutions to the climate emergency and the energy transition.
We find solutions to problems
Part of the problem is our reliance on fossil fuels, domination of big energy companies and cold, poorly built homes. So we come up with business models and plans to challenge business as usual. By giving local people ownership in positive solutions (like renewable energy generation and zero carbon, affordable homes) then we can make change happen locally. Since 2014, we have been giving our community the opportunity to take ownership of our energy future by buying shares in our schemes.
Our community buy shares
We launch a 'community share raise'. During this a set time period, anyone (aged 18 years or above) can buy shares, from £50 to £100,000. Share holders become our members, can stand as a Director on the Board and have a say in how the organisation is run. They also receive a fair interest on their investment.
We build it
We use a mixture of finance and the money we raise through community shares to put solar on schools and community buildings or to build community-led housing...we manage the process, on behalf of members, from start to finish and then the on-going management once the scheme is up and running.
Our community owns it
Local people benefit from low cost renewable energy, investors get a fair return and we generate a community benefit fund to be able to support more projects reducing fuel poverty and carbon emissions.
Simple!
Our community-owned schemes
Ernesettle ground-mounted solar array
In 2016, we transformed 18 acres of derelict land into our first ground-mounted solar array, raising £1m in community shares and providing huge benefits for the wider community.
Read More
Our second solar share offer
In 2015, our second solar share offer raised £850,000 and allowed us to build 10 more solar roofs, including our largest on Plymouth Life Centre.
Read More
Our first solar share offer
In 2014, we launched our first share offer, raising £602,000 in just six weeks, we were able to build 22 solar roofs on schools and community buildings.
Read More