The Co-operative Group and Co-operatives UK are joining forces to work on a new piece of research to support the development of community renewable energy in the UK.
With increasing levels of local innovation in the field of community renewable energy, The Co-operative Group has commissioned Co-operatives UK to work in partnership with existing renewable energy co operatives on research to examine current practical and policy challenges.
The action research project, Community Energy, which will be completed in March 2012, will address the urgent need to understand how to support new co-operative and community-owned initiatives to network, share learning and develop a coherent voice in the energy policy debate.
Paul Monaghan, Head of Social Goals and Sustainability at The Co-operative Group, said: “The UK has challenging carbon reduction targets and to meet these we need collective solutions.
“Through our support for community renewable energy groups we know that there is huge commitment to finding locally owned solutions to climate change. It is important that the co-operative sector works together to understand how these groups can be encouraged and supported.”
The Co-operative Group, through advice and support delivered by The Co operative Enterprise Hub and finance through The Co-operative Bank, is already a leader in the community renewable energy sector.
And now with its new Ethical Operating Plan – the ‘Join the Revolution’ campaign – The Co-operative Group is making even bolder commitments to investing £11m to support the growth and development of co-operatives by 2013, and to extending commercial lending in the area of energy efficiency and renewables from £400m to £1bn.
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