Exeter Community Energy

What Exeter Community Energy does

Exeter Community Energy (ECOE) is a community-owned registered society founded in 2015 and headquartered in Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom. The organisation develops, installs, and operates rooftop solar PV installations on community buildings — 10 sites to date across the PV1, PV2 (2015-2016, 408.1 kWp combined) and PV3 (2020, 75.8 kWp) phases, with a Solar PV4 portfolio in development. Since 2015 the installations have collectively generated 3.2 GWh of electricity and saved an estimated 1,271 tonnes of carbon, while delivering £279,892 of energy bill savings to host sites.

ECOE operates a hybrid revenue model combining solar power generation (historically supported by UK feed-in tariffs, now sold under new commercial arrangements), community share investments from local members, and an in-house community fund that distributes surplus generation income — expected to exceed £170,000 over site lifetimes — as grants to local climate and social-justice projects. Until November 2025, ECOE also ran the Healthy Homes for Wellbeing energy-advice programme (5,418 homes assisted in 2022-2023 with £2.72 million of client savings in 2023-2024), which was transferred to Sustainable Community Solutions to access a broader funding pool. The organisation is shareholder of Devon Energy, participating in three potential large-scale ground-mounted solar projects near Exeter, and is preparing a new community share offer in 2026.

ECOE serves three primary constituencies: community building owners hosting solar arrays under 20-year roof leases, fuel-poor and vulnerable households (historically via Healthy Homes, now via the transferred charity), and community members investing through ethical share offers. Distribution is community-led via volunteer networks, local authority referrals, partnerships with charities and energy organisations, and digital channels (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, email newsletter). The organisation has won multiple regional and national community-energy awards between 2016 and 2024, including Community Energy England 'Organisation of the Year (Large)' in 2024.

Name

Exeter Community Energy

Legal name

Exeter Community Energy Limited

Website

https://ecoe.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Exeter Community Energy is a community-owned registered society in Devon, UK that develops and operates rooftop solar PV installations on community buildings, distributing surplus income through a community fund and community share investments to local members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Renewable Energy

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO), Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA)

Keywords

• Community solar energy
• Rooftop solar PV
• Renewable energy generation
• Community fund grants
• Fuel poverty advice

Headquarters

HQ city

Exeter

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Solar Power Generation: ECOE generates electricity through rooftop solar PV installations and receives income through feed-in tariffs and power sales. Since government feed-in tariff subsidies have ended, they are investigating new business models for solar projects.
2. Community Fund Distribution: Revenue from solar generation is partially distributed through the community fund to support local climate and social justice projects. Expected to provide over £170,000 over the lifetimes of the sites.
3. Community Share Investments: ECOE offers community share investment opportunities allowing members to invest in the organization. Financial returns are complemented by wider social and ecological benefits. A new community share offer is planned for 2026.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ECOE develops, installs and operates community-owned rooftop solar PV installations on community buildings across Exeter (PV1-PV3 totaling 483.9 kWp across 10 sites, with PV4 in development). Revenue from solar generation is distributed between shareholder returns and the ECOE Community Fund, which issues grants to local groups working on climate and social justice projects. The organization also historically delivered the Healthy Homes for Wellbeing energy advice programme (transferred to Sustainable Community Solutions in November 2025).

Product overview

Exeter Community Energy (ECOE) is a community-owned organisation operating a portfolio of rooftop solar PV installations (Solar PV1-4), backed by a Community Fund that distributes grants to local climate and social justice projects. The core offering spans solar energy generation for shareholder returns, a community fund grant programme, and — historically — the Healthy Homes for Wellbeing advice service (now transferred to Sustainable Community Solutions). Current strategic priorities include expanding Solar PV4 rooftop installations, participating in Devon Energy's large-scale ground-mounted solar projects, and continuing community fund grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Healthy Homes for Wellbeing: Energy advice and fuel poverty support program providing free home visits and energy saving advice. Now transferred to Sustainable Community Solutions charity as of November 2025.
• Solar PV Projects (PV1-PV4)

Products and services

• Solar PV Rooftop Installations Community-owned rooftop solar panel installations across Exeter that generate renewable electricity, provide financial returns to shareholders, and fund community projects. The portfolio includes Solar PV1-2 (8 sites, 408.1 kWp, completed 2015-2016), Solar PV3 (2 sites, 75.8 kWp, completed 2020), and Solar PV4 in development.
• ECOE Community Fund A grant programme that distributes solar power income to community groups in and near Exeter working to address the climate emergency and promote social justice. The fund is supported by lifetime contributions expected to exceed £170,000 from the organization's solar generation.
• Community Share Offer Community share investment opportunity allowing members to invest in ECOE. Financial returns are complemented by wider social and ecological benefits. The original offer closed in 2015 and a new open offer is launching in 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.2 GWh electricity generated
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sustainable Community SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025ECOE transferred its energy advice activities including the award-winning Healthy Homes for Wellbeing Project to Sustainable Community Solutions in November 2025. This was done to allow the charity to access a broader funding pool.
• Devon EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECOE is a shareholder of Devon Energy, which has three potential large-scale ground-mounted solar projects near Exeter. Devon Energy would take the lead in raising funds but ECOE can participate and will receive community fund originating from these projects.
• Climate Action Hub ExetercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitially identified as the charity to transfer ECOE's energy advice work to in 2024. The transfer was ultimately completed with Sustainable Community Solutions instead.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swaffham Prior Community Solar: Cambridgeshire village-scale community-owned solar installation. Comparable small-scale community-share-funded PV model, though at much smaller scope.
• Repowering London: London community energy cooperative developing community-owned solar on rooftops of social housing and community buildings. Mirrors ECOE's community-led rooftop PV model, though operating in an urban context.
• Carbon Co-op: Manchester-area community energy cooperative running rooftop solar and home retrofit services. Comparable member-owned structure and combined generation-plus-energy-advice offering.
• Big Community Solar: UK-wide community rooftop solar developer focused on schools and community buildings under community-share ownership. Closely aligned with ECOE's community-rooftop focus.
• Low Carbon Hub: Oxfordshire-based community-owned renewable energy organisation operating rooftop and ground-mount solar and community heat projects. Closely comparable to ECOE in mission, community-share funding model, and distribution-generation focus.
• Brixton Energy: South London community energy cooperative running community-share-funded rooftop solar on social housing. Closely comparable in operating model (community shares, rooftop PV on community buildings, surplus to local fund).

Others

• Centre for Sustainable Energy: Bristol-based national charity working on community energy, fuel poverty, and home retrofit. Adjacent to ECOE's transferred Healthy Homes and Retrofit programmes.
• Community Energy England: Industry body representing UK community energy organisations. ECOE has won multiple CEE awards; relevant as the trade association anchoring the same sector.

Regional players

• Plymouth Energy Community: Community energy organisation active across Plymouth and surrounding Devon area. Operates in overlapping geography with ECOE and shares the community-share, fuel-poverty focus.

Broad incumbents

• OVO Foundation / OVO Energy: Large UK energy retailer with community-energy and fuel-poverty programmes including the LEAP fund that previously supported ECOE's Healthy Homes. Comparable only at programme/funder level, not as a community-owned peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ECOEtalk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWBu-fIBANIquP84kSRRnkg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ExeterCommunityEnergy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/exeter-community-energy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 Exeter Community Energy