UK Community Energy Group Raises £302,000 in 10 Days to Fund Rooftop Solar Projects

Energise South Downs, a community energy initiative based in Petersfield, UK, has raised £302,000 in just 10 days through its inaugural community share offer on ethical investment platform Ethex. The initiative supports the shift toward renewable energy by promoting locally owned energy infrastructure, ensuring that financial benefits remain within the local community.

The funds will be used to install rooftop solar panels at three sites across Hampshire:

• Hayling Island Sailing Club

• Britannia Reeves removals warehouse, Petersfield

• Energique Health & Fitness Centre, a building owned by Alton Town Council

  
  

Together, these installations are expected to generate around 270,000 kWh of clean electricity annually—enough to meet the energy needs of the sites while cutting 54 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year, equivalent to planting 2,100 trees.

The share offer allowed local residents to invest in renewable energy within their own community while receiving a target annual return of up to 5.5%. Profits from the projects will be channeled into a Community Benefit Fund to support additional social, environmental, and cultural initiatives in the South Downs area.

“This incredible response shows the appetite for grassroots climate solutions,” said Catriona Cockburn, Founder and CEO of Energise South Downs. “We can’t wait to begin installations and see the impact of these rooftop solar projects—from reducing carbon emissions to lowering local energy bills.”

The campaign gained notable endorsements from Olympic gold medallist sailor Eilidh McIntyre and WWF Youth Ambassador Will Lall, who emphasized the role of solar power in building a cleaner future and inspiring civic engagement.

A key innovation in the project is the plan to share surplus solar power from the Britannia Reeves site with neighboring Broadway Park, a residential community for people over 50. This will help reduce residents’ energy costs while promoting local energy resilience.

The share offer also received strong backing from the South Downs National Park Trust and the Community Shares Booster Fund administered by Co-operatives UK.

James Winkworth, Director of Business Development and Growth at the South Downs National Park, stated:“The driest spring and hottest June on record are urgent reminders of our changing climate. We need more ground-up climate initiatives like this one, which unite local businesses to strengthen energy security and grow our green economy. We’re proud to support this project.”

Energise South Downs plans to continue developing community-led renewable energy initiatives, with new opportunities for public involvement expected later in the year.