Hackney,
17
June
2022
|
10:09
Europe/London

£300k community energy fund approved to support journey to net zero

Cllr Mete Coban and Mayor Philip Glanville with students from Cardinal Pole School (credit Gary Manhine and Hackney Council)

A new fund for community organisations to work with the Council to launch energy efficiency schemes, like solar panels, heat pumps and insulation, was approved at a council meeting earlier this month. 

As part of the Council’s plan to tackle the climate crisis, the programme will be managed by Hackney Light and Power, its energy services arm. 

It will work with the community energy movement, schools, faith organisations, cooperatives, activists, nurseries and encourage other community groups to bid for projects that help reduce organisations’ impact on the environment and support them with rising energy costs.

The scheme will look to replicate the success of a project at Stoke Newington School, which now generates electricity from solar panels on its roof, after community group Stokey Energy was awarded £19,000 from the Mayor of London’s London Community Energy Fund, which is also working with the Rio Cinema and Mildmay Club.

Alongside its own community energy fund, Hackney Light and Power is running a programme to install energy efficiency measures on the Council’s own buildings and its own Green Homes Programme, supporting over 100 households across Hackney to install insulation, solar panels and heat pumps. A further £200k for the Green Homes Programme has also been approved by the Council. 

 Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney

We know from our partnership work with Repowering London at Bannister House and with Stokey Energy that by working hand in hand with our communities, we can do more to reduce carbon emissions and tackle the climate crisis together.

Our new community energy fund will help support local organisations who want to do their bit to install new clean energy across the borough, unlocking new ideas from across Hackney and helping to share the benefits of lower bills and green power among voluntary and third sector organisations.

Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney
Cllr Mete Coban MBE, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport

We know there’s a huge appetite from the community to support local organisations to become more energy efficient.

This funding will help successful applicants install new solar panels, heat pumps and insulation and will help Hackney reach net zero.

Cllr Mete Coban MBE, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport

A first tranche of £300,000 was approved at a Council meeting earlier in the month. Community groups will be able to bid for the funding once initial work to set up the programme is completed. 

Groups interested in applying for funding can express their interest by emailing: energy@hackney.gov.uk.