Community Current: Scaling Community Energy

This project will accelerate the growth of the UK community energy sector by developing an open-source suite of digital tools that streamline operations, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen community engagement. 

Community energy is recognised by government as a vital driver of clean energy supply and reduced household bills, with the Community Energy Strategy forecasting capacity to supply energy to over one million homes. Realising this potential will require new forms of sector-wide infrastructure and support. Repowering London and Sharenergy, two of the UK’s most experienced community energy support organisations, are co-developing a fundraising and membership platform, a solar billing operations platform, and education and engagement dashboards. 

Early prototypes are now at minimum viable product stage, and this funding will support advancing them to minimum lovable product: robust, user-friendly, and resilient systems no longer reliant on frequent technical input. All modules will be released under an open-source licence, ensuring they are free and adaptable across the sector. 

Alongside technical development, the team will deliver training, sector engagement, and piloted workshops in schools and community sites, creating pathways for wider participation and learning. By combining efficiency, open access, and education, Community Current will help community energy groups scale, empower communities, and deliver affordable, clean, community-owned energy across the UK.