Community Energy Scotland

What Community Energy Scotland does

Community Energy Scotland (CES) is a member-led, independent non-profit organisation founded in 2008 and headquartered in Inverness, Scotland, with a regional team in Stornoway serving the Outer Hebrides. Registered as a Scottish charity (SC039673) and company limited by guarantee (SC333698), it provides practical and technical support to community groups, development trusts, village halls, heritage societies, and other local organisations seeking to develop renewable energy projects and decarbonisation plans. The organisation's core offering spans three service lines: Consultancy (practical project development support covering solar, heat pumps, retrofit, funding, and energy efficiency), Networking & Insights (member bulletins, directory listing, conferences, and knowledge sharing), and Your Voice (policy advocacy and representation at government and regulatory levels). It also administers the UK-wide Energy Learning Network, funded by The National Lottery, and operates funding programmes under the Scottish Government's CARES scheme (Energy Generation Growth Fund, Community Buildings Fund).

The business model is primarily grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Membership is free, providing access to bulletins, partnerships, discounted events, and directory visibility. Consultancy and technical advice are delivered free or at subsidised rates to community groups. Core funding sources are the Scottish Government CARES scheme and The National Lottery, with additional support through coalition partnerships such as the Scottish Community Coalition on Energy and Community Energy England. The organisation reports 459 community group members, 1,500+ projects supported, 113 MW of community-owned energy capacity in Scotland, and quantifiable outcomes including 161,540 MWh of annual generation and 26,970 tonnes of carbon savings from the Fishermen Three co-owned windfarm. Strategic positioning is centred on being the national independent voice for community energy in Scotland, with coalition work extending influence UK-wide.

Name

Community Energy Scotland

Legal name

Community Energy Scotland

Website

https://communityenergyscotland.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Energy Scotland is a member-led Scottish non-profit providing practical consultancy, networking, and policy advocacy to 459 community groups developing renewable energy and decarbonisation projects across Scotland, funded primarily by government grants and The National Lottery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Energy Advisory Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Renewable Energy & Clean Tech Access (Off-grid, Energy Poverty Solutions) (BPAGALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

Keywords

• Community energy development
• Renewable energy advisory
• Energy efficiency consulting
• Decarbonisation support services
• Community capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Inverness

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Free membership to community groups providing access to bulletins, partnerships, networking, discounted conference access, member directory listing, and free vacancy/volunteer advertising.
2. Consultancy services: Practical and technical support provided to community-led businesses and organisations to realise low carbon ambitions.
3. Grant funding and government support: Funding from government schemes including Scottish Government's CARES (Community and Renewable Energy Scheme) and The National Lottery for the Energy Learning Network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community Energy Scotland is a member-led, independent Scottish charity that provides practical and technical advisory support, networking, capacity building, and policy advocacy for community groups developing renewable energy projects and low carbon solutions. Its offerings include consultancy, free technical support, the Energy Learning Network programme, free membership, advocacy ("Your Voice"), and administration of CARES funding streams (Energy Generation Growth Fund and Community Buildings Fund) for community organisations across Scotland.

Product overview

Community Energy Scotland is a member-led, independent organisation providing advisory and support services for community energy projects rather than a software product company. The portfolio consists of six interconnected services: Consultancy (practical and technical project development support), Networking & Insights (member networking and sector intelligence), Your Voice (advocacy and representation), and the Energy Learning Network (UK-wide support programme). The organisation also operates a free Membership Programme providing access to bulletins, partnerships, and directory listings. Funded initiatives include the Energy Generation Growth Fund and Community Buildings Fund under the Scottish Government's CARES scheme. Technical Support Services provide free assistance on solar, heat pumps, retrofit, funding, and energy efficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consultancy Practical and technical support service for community organisations and community-led businesses to help them realise low carbon ambitions and increase community resilience.
• Networking & Insights Networking services and insightful resources provided to members, enabling connections and knowledge sharing within the community energy sector.
• Your Voice (Policy Advocacy) National independent advocacy service representing community energy members and their needs at government and regulatory levels in Scotland.
• Energy Learning Network Programme UK-wide support programme powered by The National Lottery, helping community energy groups launch or grow schemes that decarbonise the grid, create local resilience, and reduce energy bills.
• Free Membership Programme Free membership offering community groups access to bulletins, partnerships, discounted conference access, an online Members' Directory listing, and free advertising for vacancies and volunteers.
• Technical Support Services Free technical advisory service for community groups providing specific answers on solar, heat pumps, retrofit, funding, and energy efficiency.
• Energy Generation Growth Fund (CARES)
• Community Buildings Fund (CARES)

Quantifiable outcome

• 113 MW of community owned energy capacity in Scotland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Energy Learning NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-wide support programme powered by Community Energy Scotland and partners, helping community energy projects decarbonise the grid, create local resilience, reduce energy bills, and create meaningful local benefits. Funded by The National Lottery.
• N76 PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership network in Dumfries & Galloway supporting community transport and active travel initiatives, with neighbouring partners and projects sharing knowledge and experience.
• Community Energy EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in State of the Sector reporting and policy advocacy, representing the UK-wide community energy sector including shared open letter to UK government on community energy potential.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Energy England: England's counterpart to Community Energy Scotland; a membership body that represents community energy groups, produces State of the Sector reporting jointly with CES, and co-signs UK-wide policy advocacy such as the open letter to UK government on community energy potential.
• Centre for Sustainable Energy: Bristol-based charity delivering community energy advice, fuel poverty programmes, and local-authority support — closely comparable to CES's consultancy and community-capacity-building services, but focused on England rather than Scotland.
• Local Energy Scotland: Delivers the Scottish Government's CARES scheme (Energy Generation Growth Fund, Community Buildings Fund) which CES also channels; operates as a sister programme on the same funding stream and serves the same Scottish community groups.
• Energy4All: UK cooperative development body helping communities set up and finance community-owned renewable energy projects; a near-direct comparable to CES's community-led project development support, particularly for wind and hydro co-operatives.

Broad incumbents

• Energy Saving Trust: UK-wide charity providing practical advice on energy efficiency, renewables, and low-carbon living, with significant government grant programme delivery; comparable to CES as a mission-led intermediary between state funding and community/end-user delivery, but with a much broader national remit.
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise: Scottish Government economic development agency for the Highlands and Islands; co-funds and supports community energy and low-carbon projects in the same geography as CES, with overlapping member/beneficiary base across remote and island communities.
• Carbon Trust: International climate consultancy advising organisations on carbon reduction, renewable energy, and energy efficiency; comparable to CES in advising community and institutional clients on decarbonisation, but operating commercially and at larger scale.

Regional players

• Community Energy Wales: Welsh national body supporting community energy groups with advocacy, training, and project development; mirrors CES's role at a sub-UK national level, making it a direct structural peer even though it does not compete for the same Scottish members.

Emerging players

• Bristol Energy Cooperative: Community-owned energy cooperative running solar, wind and heat projects in and around Bristol; a direct end-product of the kind of community energy development CES supports, useful as a downstream beneficiary/peer for project outcomes.
• Ashden: UK climate solutions charity that funds and promotes community energy and clean-tech projects; closely linked to CES through the Energy Learning Network partnership and similar funder/intermediary role for community energy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CES_Tweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/communityenergyscotland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-energy-scotland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Energy Scotland