Chester Community Energy
Chester Community Energy Ltd. was created in 2015 by members of Transition Chester. It has four founding Directors (Jennifer Barnett, Graham Booth, Francesca Moore, Stephen Savory). They are all residents of Chester or surrounding villages, either working professionals or retired and are all active members of the community.
In 2015, Transition Chester ran a ‘climate change awareness raising’ event, with presentations and interactive exercises, to promote positive action towards increasing the City’s social and economic resilience to climate change. This attracted 50 attendees and identified the need to set-up Chester Community Energy as a priority.
Chester Community Energy Ltd. is a registered cooperative (a Community Benefit Society) which aims to develop and facilitate renewable energy schemes in Chester and the surrounding area.
Its purpose is to promote renewable energy, reduce the City’s carbon footprint and encourage energy efficiency.
With the members’ help, the Company successfully raised £62k in community shares and installed a 50kW solar PV system at Chester’s Northgate Arena leisure centre. This was matched by Cheshire West and Chester Council installing their own 50kW generating capacity making a total of 100kW capacity on the roof of the centre.
Chester Community Energy Ltd. now currently own and operate:
- – a 50kW solar PV system on the Council-owned Northgate Arena Leisure Centre in Chester.
- – a 60kW solar PV system on the Council-owned Christleton Leisure Centre
- – a 60kW solar PV system on the Council-owned Neston Leisure Centre.
This community owned renewable energy scheme is generating a community fund for further investment in new projects and earns interest to return to our members on their shares.
Community Benefit Fund 2021
At the AGM in October 2020, it was agreed by members that £5,000 should be offered to local charities/community groups for energy reduction measures to their buildings. Nine applications were received and four were successful.
The grants have been awarded as follows:
- Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race and Equality Centre, who received £1750 for new LED lighting to the ground floor of their Unity Centre in Cuppin Street, Chester.
- Dodleston Village Foundation, who received £750 towards completing their LED lighting replacement in the village hall.
- Neurotherapy Centre, who received £2000 towards changing a total of 78 fluorescent lamps to new LED fittings in the centre in Saltney.
- Tarporley Community Centre, who received £500 to complete their LED lighting upgrade in the village hall.
The successful applicants were delighted to be helped by the new fund which will continue to be awarded annually.
Community Benefit Fund 2020
Chester Community Energy Ltd are proud to announce the receivers of this year’s Community Energy Fund grants. The application process was open in the last quarter of 2019 and early in January 2020 the successful applications were reviewed and narrowed down.
The grants have been awarded as follows:
- Stanney Grange Community Centre – £1,900 towards the installation of energy efficient LED Lighting;
- Grozone (Northwich) – £1,100 to assist them with their ambitious off-grid electricity project
Community Benefit Fund 2019
In 2019 CCEL awarded a total of £3,000 funding to four local community groups from its community benefit fund.
The successful applicants were:
- Campbell Memorial Hall (Chester),
- New Images Youth Centre,
- Live New Scene, Chester and
- Vernon Institute (Saughall).
Community Benefit Fund 2018,
The community fund supported:
- Frodsham Community Centre,
- Neston Community Centre and Retreat House,
- Chester for LED installation; and
- Cheshire Waste Reduction Volunteers to purchase large compost bins..
Email info@chestercommunityenergy.org.uk to find out more.