By Professor Jules Pretty, Chair of the Essex Climate Action Commission
As Chair of the Essex Climate Action Commission (ECAC), I made four field visits to community energy groups and service providers in August and September 2025. This blog draws on my November 2025 report on Community Energy in Essex.
A key component of the work of the ECAC is to encourage the formation and spread of local groups. These groups have a range of focuses: prioritising climate action, nature recovery, community energy.
Notable examples include PACE Manningtree, Tollesbury Climate Partnership, Sustainable Danbury (now Common Green), Sustainable Uttlesford, East Hanningfield, Saffron Walden Community Energy, Community Energy Colchester, Stour Power Community Energy, and eMpower (Maldon). The three recently-formed farm clusters in Essex are further examples of coordinated groups of people seeking change within a defined geographical area.
Nationwide, it is estimated that there are now more than 600 community energy groups. In total, some 29 local groups are involved in active energy-related transitions.
These local groups are creating what is called “social capital.” This is defined as the trust, reciprocity, and relationships that increase togetherness and lead to collective action between and within communities, reducing the cost of household and business transactions. A 2020 global audit showed that in 55 countries the number of local groups had grown from 0.50 million (in 2000) to 8.54 million (in 2020).
Community energy can thus be seen as part of a wider movement building transitions towards regenerative cultures and economies. Regenerative growth centres on the recognition, protection, and increase in five renewable capitals: natural, social, human, cultural and physical capital.
The Wider Domestic Policy Context: Great British Energy
In September 2025, the UK government published a Statement of Strategic Priorities for Great British Energy (GBE). The central aim is to support the clean energy transition, with a strong emphasis on ensuring communities benefit directly from this transition. GBE has indicated it will be providing £1 billion per year of new investment in local energy projects (£600 million in loans, £400m in grants).
The government has predicted that the wider clean energy transition will create 400,000 new jobs by 2030.
Government and non-profits (such as Energy Local) expect energy bills to fall by 10-25% for those engaged in the clean energy transition. In Essex, this is expected to be substantially greater for new houses built to passive-house standards (with solar PV, EV charging point, heat pump, high insulation and passive heating/cooling design).
The Emerging Focus on Community Energy in Essex
In 2024, the Community Energy Sector in the UK generated 250 MW of solar power, 133 MW of wind, and 13 MW of hydro (total 0.4 GW of power). There were 123 organisations providing energy advice and fuel poverty elimination, and 310 organisations providing retrofit services.
There is good evidence of action on the ground across Essex, showing commitment and intent from local people for climate action. Local people are organised into new groups and drawing on existing institutions and parish councils.
Local people are thus helping in the transition to low carbon and clean energy systems whilst reducing energy costs for households. Community energy systems are using a combination of renewable energy generation (mainly solar), retrofit and insulation, heat pumps, and passive heating/cooling design in homes.
All local groups face frustrations at existing regulations and institutional norms. Many feel community energy could move much faster within their communities. Nonetheless, several local groups are helping to reframe and change local policies and action at District and Parish levels.
At the same time, community energy groups are taking action beyond energy, focusing on local nature recovery, local food, planning issues, and creating sustainable and active transport.
Next Steps
There is now an opportunity to tell a better story about community innovations in Essex, and how they are speeding climate action whilst reducing household costs. Reducing energy costs are one of the top priorities of all households. Energy generation is desirable but tends to come as a lower priority to households.
A key challenge is now to move from the approximately 10% coverage of communities in Essex with local groups to 20-30%. This may help create new tipping points in business support, local jobs, knowledge and human capital.
At all locations, there are frustrations and concerns over listed building consents. These are costly to apply for and usually result in refusal for applications to install solar PV, EV charging points, insulation, and new windows.
There is considerable interest in the idea of peer-to-peer energy sharing within communities. This has not yet been implemented, even though it will reduce the need for UK Power Networks to invest in infrastructure.
Biodiversity is a good entry point for local action. Most people are in favour of nature recovery (or put another way, not many are against). The launch and publication of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy has created a new opportunity to show how nature recovery links to aspects of climate action favoured by local people.
Conclusions
There will be bumps in the road with the clean energy transition. An electricity-economy that replaces oil and gas will need more transmission infrastructure (pylons), more physical installations of wind and solar (turbines at sea and on land), and installations of infrastructure on listed buildings.
All those involved in community energy and the transition to regenerative economies will need to find ways to tell the wider story better. How will renewables benefit households? Will their energy costs fall? Will they appreciate the health benefits of clean air as vehicles stop using fossil fuels? How will these local actions contribute to worldwide climate action to cool the planet?
National government has set a target for 10% of national energy coming from community energy systems. Essex is already playing a significant role in innovation and spread. Much can now be achieved as coverage expands and grows.
The Essex Climate Action Commission is Chaired by Professor Jules Pretty OBE DL. All Commissioners work voluntarily and are listed at: https://www.essexclimate.org.uk/our-commissioners.
A summary of the Commission’s activities and impacts is published in a recent blog by the Chair: https://www.essexclimate.org.uk/what-is-the-essex-climate-action-commission.
For more reports and supporting material, see www.julespretty.com; for films, see YouTube channel “Story for Climate and Nature Recovery: https://www.youtube.com/@JulesPretty58