Co-operative Energy Backing World's Biggest Community Energy Campaign

5th July 2014

Leading energy provider, Co-operative Energy is today announcing that it will sponsor 2014's Community Energy Fortnight, as part of the world's biggest community energy campaign.

Organised by the Community Energy Coalition (CEC) - a group of 36 civil society organisations led by sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future, the Community Energy Fortnight will run from 13th to 28th September and will be the highlight of the community energy calendar. The CEC, including the Church of England, National Union of Students (NUS) and National Trust, represents a combined membership base of millions.

The Fortnight is UK-wide and gives the public the chance to visit established community projects in their local area, all of which are actively engaged in generating and/or saving energy for the benefit of local people. From visits to wind farms and solar parks to energy efficiency workshops, the events will bring community energy to life and give people up and down the country the chance to see how they can get involved in this new and exciting sector.

Ramsay Dunning, group general manager, Co-operative Energy said: "We are at the forefront of sourcing our power from community energy providers. We believe that the community ownership of clean energy projects empowers them to decide upon and manage their initiatives in locally appropriate ways and keeps the profits generated within the community.

“Following on from last year's event, the world's first Community Energy Fortnight, we were keen to assist in making this year's event even more successful. Which is why we are proud to be playing such a central role by sponsoring the 2014 event.

“We'll also be encouraging our hundreds of thousands of customers and members to get involved as well. We know they are strong supporters of Co-operative Energy's low carbon sourcing policies, and would like to see a more vibrant co-operative and social economy in the UK."

Giles Bristow, Director of Programmes, Forum for the Future, said: “Following on from the success of the world's first Community Energy Fortnight last year, we are genuinely excited about Co-operative Energy taking such a central role in supporting this year's event. Their mission to provide as much sustainable energy as possible by sourcing power from community energy providers makes Co-operative Energy the perfect partner to help us build the momentum behind this burgeoning sector. The Fortnight is inspiring people across the UK to do something really positive to build a more sustainable energy system from the grassroots up, and the CEC is working hard to create the right conditions for it to flourish so we can help bring our members' vision of more resilient communities to life.”

Co-operative Energy will be launching the event with its own community energy conference on 13th September at the NEC in Birmingham in which it will bring together a panel of leading experts to discuss community-based energy projects and their benefits.

Overall, the 2014 Fortnight will feature a series of events across the UK, from site visits to workshops, conferences to share offer launches.

Co-operative Energy is part of the Midcounties Co-operative, the largest independent co-operative in the UK, owned by over half a million members. Co-operative Energy is a national business, covering the whole of England, Wales and Scotland.

To find out more about the Community Energy Fortnight or to get involved in an event,
e-mailcommunityenergy[AT]forumforthefuture.org or visit ukcec.org