The clean energy switch is happening across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
It’s a chance to re-wire energy to be fairer, more sustainable and with the interests of communities at its centre.
As Climate Hubs, we believe that communities should benefit directly from the clean energy generated in their area. That’s why we’re working together on community energy.
The Climate Hubs in West Lothian, Midlothian, East Lothian, and Edinburgh support this goal. We want our communities to have more ownership of both clean energy and the rewards — through reduced bills, local investment and progress toward net zero.
To do this, we wish to form a Community Benefit Society. We are calling this CommonWatt.
Shared goals of CommonWatt
Through CommonWatt the Hubs aim to achieve the following:
- Support the clean energy transition through collective, small-scale developments.
- Reduce bills and empower communities through regional ownership.
- Distribute benefits in the community and create a modest revenue stream for local climate action.
The Hubs have seen great progress through a collaborative approach to community energy and solar. This includes joint applications for funding. We wanted to create a new vehicle to advance this ambition throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians. A collaborative, regional approach to local community energy.
CommonWatt will develop and build a portfolio of small solar farms with regional ownership.
We will continue to support communities develop solar independently — through grant funding, a share raise or equity. Regional ownership can help develop community energy, no matter the size or location.
By identifying and assessing suitable sites, and guiding projects through to installation, CommonWatt is a way to bring along projects and communities of all scales. This could be solar panels on church roofs or storage batteries in village halls. The goal is to provide clean low-cost energy locally.
Through an initial community share offer, regional ownership can spread the risk and distribute benefits hyperlocally.
Establishing this Community Benefit Society allows CommonWatt to distribute energy benefits where it is being generated. Revenue will be used to further community climate action, decided by an iterative, transparent, democratic process.
CommonWatt will work together across the Lothians as a single regional entity to develop, own and operate community solar energy projects at scale.
We hope you will support this ambition and our first steps towards a Community Benefit Society.
Contact CommonWatt
If your community is based in Edinburgh or the Lothians and is working on a local energy project, or you are interested in supporting the CommonWatt project, get in touch tom@eastlothianclimatehub.org
