Advanced reporting for community energy groups

Nook CRM is an open source case notes management system for UK community energy groups, with currently 6 groups joining its pilot.

Working in partnership with Plymouth Energy Community and Community Energy South, the project will launch innovations that bring efficiencies to groups’ operations and free advisors to undertake more frontline delivery.

Based on their research these include:

1. Streamlined funder reporting: resource-heavy effort is required of groups to submit regular and accurate reporting data to funders, and manage changing reporting requirements. They will work with funders and partner coordinating networks to determine required data and reporting, and then build a centrally-managed (and updated) reporting logic/templates in Nook for groups that have that funder. With a few clicks, groups would be able to generate reports for the funder, slashing the time they spend on reporting. 

2. Standardised metrics to calculate impact: Groups use a range of effort-intensive approaches for calculating impact (energy bill and CO₂ savings). They will provide groups with automated calculations of a range of metrics, or use their own formulae. 

3. Mapping: Managers have requested tools to visualise the geographical impact of their operations (e.g. the types of interventions in their locality), helping teams strategise more effectively. 

4. Continued support and hosting for pilot groups. They also plan to continue making their research and learnings available to the sector.