Centre for Sustainable Energy

What Centre for Sustainable Energy does

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is an independent UK registered charity (Charity 298740, Company 2219673), founded in 1979 and headquartered in Bristol, that supports people and organisations across the UK to address the climate emergency and the health impacts of cold homes. CSE operates across three pillars — direct-to-consumer advice and retrofit delivery, community engagement programmes, and research/consultancy for local authorities and government — with a workforce of 51–100 staff running up to ~100 separately funded projects concurrently. Service delivery is anchored by six regional freephone advice lines, home-visit casework, and a professional referral system linked to NHS trusts and social care partners, alongside a wholly-owned Community Interest Company (Retrofit West) acting as a one-stop-shop for household retrofit in the West of England.

CSE's product and technology base includes proprietary and open-source tools developed for government and public-sector clients: THERMOS (heat network planning), the National Heat Map (modelled heat demand for every UK address), the National Household Model (GB housing stock energy policy modelling), heat network zoning software, and the Solar Wizard calculator. The SMETER project applies machine learning to improve SAP calculation accuracy using smart meter data. Revenue is generated primarily through charitable grants and project funding from central government (DESNZ), local authorities (Somerset, Wiltshire, Swindon, Bristol, WECA, Greater London Authority, London Borough of Merton), and government-backed schemes such as the Warm Homes: Local Grant programme, supplemented by commissioned research and consultancy and individual donations. Most services are provided free to end beneficiaries as part of CSE's public benefit remit.

Name

Centre for Sustainable Energy

Legal name

Centre for Sustainable Energy

Website

https://cse.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy and Sustainability Advisory Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Energy Justice, Equity & Ratepayer Impact Analysis (EUAMANAN), Energy Efficiency & Weatherization Retrofit (HSAPAEAF), Climate Finance Strategy (CapEx planning, green finance, incentives & grants) (EUABAKAG), Interconnection, Permitting & Grid Services for DERs (EUAMAJAH), Utilities & Energy Management (Meters, Boilers, Chillers) (EDALALAH), Housing Rehabilitation, Weatherization & Home Repair Grant/Loan Programs (FSALAKAJ)

Keywords

• Energy efficiency advice
• Home retrofit services
• Fuel poverty support
• Heat network planning
• Community energy projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable grants and project funding: CSE operates as a registered charity (298740) primarily funded through grants from government departments (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), local authorities (Somerset Council, Wiltshire Council, Bristol City Council, West of England Combined Authority), and government-backed schemes (Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme). Multiple separately funded projects underway at any one time.
2. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organisations supporting climate action and energy justice.
3. Research and consultancy services: Commissioned research and consultancy for local authorities, government bodies, and other organisations on energy planning, heat decarbonisation, and building performance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Centre for Sustainable Energy is an independent national charity that delivers free household energy advice and home retrofit support, commissions research and consultancy for local authorities and government on heat decarbonisation and net zero, and develops proprietary energy modelling and mapping tools (such as THERMOS, the National Heat Map and the National Household Model). Services span direct-to-consumer advice lines and home visits, community engagement programmes, and evidence-based policy support, all funded primarily through grants, donations and commissioned research.

Product overview

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) offers a diverse portfolio of energy-related services organized around three core areas: Advice & Guidance, Retrofit Services, and Communities. The organization provides direct consumer-facing energy advice services including Warm & Safe Wiltshire, Futureproof, and Community Energy GO, which offer tailored guidance for households, communities, and vulnerable customers on energy efficiency, heating, insulation, and bill management. CSE operates Retrofit West as a CIC subsidiary, functioning as a one-stop-shop for home retrofit coordination in the West of England. The organization also develops proprietary software tools including THERMOS (open-source heat network planning software), the National Heat Map, and National Household Model for policy modelling. CSE provides educational programs such as Bright Green Future for youth environmental leadership and Energy Matters for schools. Additional offerings include the Solar Wizard calculator for solar PV assessment, DIY energy survey resources for community buildings, and Smart Energy Action Plans (SMEAPS) for vulnerable customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Retrofit West: A Community Interest Company set up by CSE providing a one-stop-shop for retrofit services connecting homeowners with independent advice and vetted installers in the West of England.

Products and services

• Warm & Safe Wiltshire Free energy advice service co-founded with Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council, helping residents of Wiltshire and Swindon live in warmer, safer and healthier homes. Provides financial assistance guidance, energy saving advice, and Priority Services Register sign-up support to households.
• Retrofit West (CIC) A Community Interest Company established by CSE that provides a coordinated local one-stop-shop for household retrofit in the West of England, connecting homeowners with independent advice and vetted installers while building a local supply chain.
• Bright Green Future Environmental leadership programme for 16–19 year olds providing skills development, residential experiences and pathways into sustainability careers, with a particular focus on young people of colour.
• Solar Wizard Calculator Household and community solar PV assessment calculator designed to support more people and communities to evaluate solar power adoption.
• THERMOS Open-source web-based tool for heat network planning that reduces the time and cost of heat network feasibility analysis; originally developed by CSE and used across the UK, Europe and beyond.
• National Heat Map Web-based tool created for the Department of Energy & Climate Change (later DESNZ) to support planning and deployment of local low-carbon energy projects, containing modelled heat demand data for every address in the country.
• National Household Model Domestic energy policy modelling tool covering all of Great Britain's housing stock, created by CSE for energy policy analysis.
• Smart Energy Action Plans (SMEAPS) Tailored advice service for vulnerable customers to ensure they are not excluded from the benefits of the future smart energy system.
• Community Energy GO Service connecting community groups with free expert advice and hands-on support to develop community energy projects.
• Futureproof Service supporting self-funded households with trusted independent advice on improving the energy efficiency, warmth and comfort of their homes in the West of England.
• Home Energy Advice Service One-to-one and group energy advice service helping households save money on bills and improve home energy efficiency, available across multiple UK regions via freephone lines.
• Warm Homes: Local Grant Delivery (Somerset) Home retrofitting support service delivered in partnership with Somerset Council, covering insulation, solar panels, air source heat pumps and window replacements for eligible households across Somerset.
• DIY Energy Survey for Community Buildings Downloadable guide and checklist that helps community groups conduct do-it-yourself energy surveys of their buildings to identify energy efficiency improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 12,000 households supported since 2015 through Warm & Safe Wiltshire
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Somerset CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Somerset Council secured £1 million in funding from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme, with CSE as the Council's delivery partner for implementing home retrofitting for homeowners and private rental residents across Somerset.
• Wiltshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of Warm & Safe Wiltshire programme alongside Swindon Borough Council, providing free energy advice service for residents of Wiltshire and Swindon to live in warmer, safer and healthier homes.
• Swindon Borough CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of Warm & Safe Wiltshire programme alongside Wiltshire Council, providing free energy advice service for residents of Wiltshire and Swindon.
• Merton Climate Action GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Merton Energy Matters programme for climate and energy education.
• RicardominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Ricardo on transport analysis for Bristol Net Zero by 2030 study commissioned by Bristol City Council.
• EunomiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Eunomia on waste analysis for Bristol Net Zero by 2030 study commissioned by Bristol City Council.
• Greater London AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned CSE to research options for improving quality and environmental performance of social housing in London, including costing an enhanced Decent Homes Standard.
• Metropolitan Housing TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided specialist input and real-life practical experience of social housing perspectives for enhanced Decent Homes Standard project.
• Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with ADE and SE2 on qualitative research with local building owners to understand attitudes and willingness to connect to heat networks.
• SE2minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with ADE and SE2 on qualitative research with local building owners for heat network zoning.
• Bristol Climate & Nature PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated Bristol Community Climate Action project, with CSE as delivery collaborator alongside Bristol City Council and climate action partners.
• Bristol Energy NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate action partner in Bristol Community Climate Action five-year project funded by National Lottery's Climate Action Fund.
• SustranscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate action partner in Bristol Community Climate Action project focused on sustainable transport aspects.
• PraxiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate action partner in Bristol Community Climate Action project, bringing community development expertise.
• Avon Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate action partner in Bristol Community Climate Action project focused on nature and biodiversity.
• End Fuel Poverty CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSE is a member of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, calling on energy industry to contribute to debt relief for households struggling with energy bills.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sustrans: UK charity enabling sustainable transport and active travel. Direct partner with CSE on Bristol Community Climate Action, with overlapping community-climate-action and local-authority funding model.
• Citizens Advice: Provides energy advice as part of broader consumer guidance, including support for energy bill issues and supplier switching. Overlaps with CSE's consumer-facing energy-advice offering for vulnerable households.
• Energy Saving Trust: UK charity providing independent energy-efficiency advice to households, similar to CSE. Closely comparable in mission, free consumer-facing advice services, government grant delivery, and policy advocacy on domestic decarbonisation.
• National Energy Action (NEA): UK fuel poverty charity focused on warm homes for vulnerable households. Directly comparable to CSE's Warm & Safe Wiltshire and fuel poverty programmes, sharing similar funder base and policy advocacy footprint.
• Eunomia Research & Consulting: Environmental consultancy that partners with CSE on local-authority net-zero studies (e.g., Bristol Net Zero by 2030). Comparable in energy, waste, and climate-policy consulting to local authorities and government.
• Groundwork: UK environmental charity supporting community-led climate action and energy-efficiency projects. Comparable community-engagement model and regional delivery partnerships with local authorities.

Broad incumbents

• Carbon Trust: Climate-change and sustainability consultancy advising businesses and governments. Comparable in energy and decarbonisation consulting, though more commercially focused than CSE's charity model.
• Ricardo: Global engineering and environmental consultancy partnering with CSE on Bristol Net Zero transport analysis. Wider service portfolio but directly comparable in local-authority net-zero strategy consulting.

Emerging players

• Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE): Industry association for decentralised energy and heat networks that collaborates with CSE on heat-network zoning research. Comparable in heat decarbonisation policy work and DER advocacy.
• Bristol Energy Network: Community-energy partnership organisation working with CSE on Bristol Community Climate Action. Comparable in community energy project development, though more narrowly focused on community energy than CSE's full portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYhX6xqXhrMr3iZ5tDv5u_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentreforSustainableEnergy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-sustainable-energy
• Xx.com/cse_bristol

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Centre for Sustainable Energy