The project will see a £5 million solar park brought into community ownership, as part of a larger £10.5 million project portfolio BEC is currently raising funds for.

This is the eighth community energy initiative that Anesco has been involved with and the company is one of the first owner/operators in the UK to be involved in the development of such schemes. 

Commenting on the project, Delvin Lane, Anesco’s commercial director, says: “We’re delighted to be working with BEC. At Anesco we have a strong heritage that has been based on regeneration, supporting the local communities in which we operate and a commitment to helping tackle fuel poverty. Therefore, it was a natural step for us to become one of the first owner/operators in the UK to develop community-led renewables schemes.” 

He continues: “We are currently working on a portfolio of eight community schemes that are at various stages of build and operation, with more in the pipeline – and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”   

Chris Speller, director, Bristol Energy Cooperative has spoken positively of the partnership with Anesco, stating that clean, cheap energy is vital as we move towards a more sustainable future.

Community energy projects encourage members of the public to join together and invest in buying a renewable power source. This gives the local area a way to generate its own power, while benefiting from savings on energy costs and reducing carbon emissions. The funding model is seen as one potential solution to driving a sustainable supply.

Delvin states: “Projects of this nature have so much potential and fit strongly with our company aim of working closely with local communities on all levels. For example, through our Charitable Trust initiative we are supporting the creation of local jobs and helping educate the next generation on the energy efficiency industry.”