The shortlist demonstrates the breadth of activity and passion that communities have for developing energy projects, tackling climate change and improving their local areas in the face of an increasingly difficult policy landscape.

Community energy works and hundreds of projects now in operation have demonstrated the positive benefit they bring to the social value of their areas, through improving local community assets and providing a source of civic pride.

Will Walker, Programme and Investment Manager for Community Energy at Power to Change commented: “Community energy has a strong base and will continue to evolve. Power to Change is hugely supportive of this sector and is actively investing to develop the market and deliver enhanced community impacts. By sponsoring these awards we are proud to celebrate the work of these incredible groups and individuals who are finding innovative new ways to collaborate and harness the power in their communities.”

As part of the evening’s celebrations, Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP for the South West of England and Gibralter, and Robin Webster, Senior Climate Change Engagement Strategist at Climate Outreach, will share their thoughts on continued UK leadership on climate change and the role that communities can play.

The awards ceremony will be preceded by a free afternoon conference, The Energy Transition: Top-Down v. Grassroots, hosted with Bristol Energy Network and Bristol City Council Energy Service. A decade on from the Climate Change Act, this conference will focus on how communities, organisations and local authorities can work together more effectively to tackle fuel poverty and climate change and will feature a range of speakers showcasing the best community and local energy case studies from across the country.

The conference will particularly focus on how communities, organisations and local authorities can work together more effectively to tackle fuel poverty and climate change. The conference and awards ceremony are taking place during Green Great Britain Week, a new initiative from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Green Great Britain Week is set to highlight the opportunities clean growth offers the UK. This year the week will also mark the 10-year anniversary of the Climate Change Act; explaining the business opportunities clean growth provides, sharing the latest research on the impacts of climate change, and raising the understanding of how business and the public can contribute to tackling climate change. Communities are encouraged to use Green Great Britain Week as an opportunity to share with their friends, neighbours and other local community groups the good work they’re doing to help make their local area a better place to be; lowering carbon emissions, saving money and valuable resources.

Emma Bridge, chief executive, CEE said: “We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the Community Energy Awards. Now in its fourth year the awards really do demonstrate the resilience and determination of groups, individuals and organisations to make community energy a reality in their area.”

Registration for the conference and awards is free, and CEE, CEW, Bristol Energy Network and Bristol City Council Energy Service, are encouraging anyone with an interest to attend so they can find out more and get involved with community energy in their area.

Robert Proctor, Business Development Manager, CEW said: “The range of entries once again made shortlisting for the awards a difficult task for the panel of judges. We’ve heard from projects covering the whole spectrum of community energy, from innovative schemes retrofitting buildings to increase energy efficiency, to groups tackling fuel poverty amongst the most vulnerable, and massive solar developments using co-operative models. We look forward to revealing the overall winners in October.”

Emma Bridge continues: “CEE and CEW will be making the case for government to consider how it can make a positive contribution to the community energy sector. Recently government has made it very clear that subsidies for projects won’t continue, so with little in the way of financial help, we’ll be using Green Great Britain Week to reach out to ministers and officials at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to discuss the need for alternative support for the sector, as well as encouraging our members to talk to their local politicians to address local issues that might be barriers to community groups taking on energy projects.

“Like any other sector, green energy isn’t immune to the austerity cuts, but we are an innovative movement, so we’re finding ways to make community energy projects work despite the challenges. The Community Energy Awards and preceding conference is a chance to celebrate, share ideas and to look to the future.”

More information about the awards, conference and ideas for groups wanting to engage their local MP or others during Green Great Britain Week are available on the CEE website and the Community Energy Hub.