Community Energy Fund
In November 2023, we are launching the second round of Hackney Light and Power’s Community Energy Fund (HCEF).
See Hackney Community Energy Fund – Prospectus 2023 (google doc).
The fund supports public institutions and not-for-profit organisations based in Hackney, such as schools, faith groups and charities, to work closely with local community energy groups to improve the energy efficiency of publicly-used buildings.
On this page:
Express your interest in the Hackney Community Energy Fund (HCEF)
Round 2 of the fund launched on 23 November 2023.
We are seeking interest from two different streams of qualifying groups:
- Not-for-profit organisations who:
- own or have a long-term lease on a building used by the public
- tell us who they are and what their project idea is
- give us some basic details of their buildings and energy consumption
- tell us how their organisation and the communities that use their buildings will benefit from having a more energy-efficient space
- Current or aspiring not-for-profit community energy groups who:
- tell us who they are
- give us details about their experience, capacity and skills to lead on partnership projects and support other Hackney non-profit organisations in their energy efficiency journey
Hackney Light and Power will sort project ideas and then pair them with community energy groups interested in partnering.
We will notify matched partners on 18 December 2023. We expect them to work together to write a joint application form. We will email the application form to interested parties and also publish it on this website.
Express your interest to apply for the HCEF
Understanding the Hackney Community Energy Fund
The Hackney Community Energy Fund (HCEF) supports community-led innovative energy projects that:
- reduce carbon emissions
- improve the energy efficiency of buildings
- improve climate change literacy across the borough
- grow the local community energy sector and green economy
The fund enables Hackney not-for-profit and charitable organisations to:
- reduce their energy costs
- create warmer and more efficient buildings for local residents
- tackle climate change
- engage with their communities on topics relating to their project
We hope this creates a ripple effect and brings a range of stakeholders into Hackney’s net-zero journey.
Energy use in Hackney’s buildings is responsible for 21% of the borough’s total emissions. This includes the electricity powering lights and appliances, and the heat for warming water and spaces. The HCEF helps local not-for-profit organisations to look at:
- how to reduce their emissions, including improving the thermal performance of buildings to reduce the amount of energy required to heat and cool them
- how to reduce energy demand, including by changing lighting systems for example
- opportunities to generate renewable energy
Projects must:
- benefit the community
- show a demonstrable carbon-saving opportunity (either through generating renewable energy or reducing consumption of energy) through retrofitting activities
- encourage energy-saving behaviours
We expect to award the majority of grants to capital projects.
Our Climate Action Plan commits to delivering annual rounds of Hackney’s Community Energy Fund to support and develop multiple community groups.
Round 1 Award
The first round of Hackney’s Community Energy Fund (HCEF) launched in November 2022 and closed in January 2023.
The Hackney Empire, Mildmay Club and Parkwood Primary School received funding for solar panels. The panels provide enough electricity for one-third of their energy use. This is equal to 35 homes, helping to reduce bills and tackle climate change.
A church, a gurdwara, a wellness charity and seven schools also received funding to develop carbon-saving projects including:
- solar panels
- battery storage
- insulation and heating controls
Community energy groups have been helping these organisations throughout their projects to engage with building users and promote carbon-saving behavior.
Round 2 timeline
| Key Dates | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 23 November 2023 | Round 2 Launch Event | 9.30am to 2pm, in person
Location: Hackney Town Hall, Mare Street, E8 1EA |
| 23 November to 10 December 2023 | Open for interested parties (phase 1) | Interest forms will be available from this page to complete online. |
| 18 December 2023 | Prospective partners announced | Hackney Light and Power notify organisations by email. |
| 18 December 2023 to 11 February 2024 | Open for formal application (phase 2) | Hackney Light and Power email the application form to the announced partners. The form will also be available from this page.
You need to email eligibility documents to Hackney Light and Power. |
| 12 to 16 February 2024 | Eligibility checks | Hackney Light and Power contacts applicants if any evidence documents are missing. Projects have until 23 February to submit any missing documents. |
| 19 February to 15 March 2024 | Assessment process | Hackney Light and Power assess applications during this period. |
| The week starting 18 March 2024 | Assessment outcomes announced | Hackney Light and Power contact all applicants by email by 22 March. We list successful applicants on this page. |
Support for applicants
Hackney Light and Power is working with Community Energy London to bring groups together and grow the sector in Hackney, and to identify further funding sources to help Hackney organisations in their net-zero journeys.
Community Energy London runs a mentoring programme for new groups and they have created a useful How-to Guide for Setting Up a Community Energy Group In London.