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Wind turbines

 

Towards the end of 2022, we asked our users some questions about energy resilience, and more than 80% expressed interest in exploring measures to reduce organisational energy bills. We want to ensure we provide as much support as possible to those that might want to use social investment to fund such measures.

Enter the Energy Resilience Hub....

Charities, Social Enterprises, and Community Organisations are tackling some of the most complex issues in the UK. Amidst a landscape of crippling increases to energy bills and ever-decreasing financial support for social sector organisations, we wanted to provide more information on how organisations can support and develop their energy resilience with social investment. 

From understanding the basics of social investment and how it works in relation to energy resilience to quick and easy connections to social investors that can help, this hub is designed to help your organisation, wherever it is on the social investment journey.  

Introducing the Procurement Pathway for Energy Retrofit!
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Procurement Pathway

 

Designed to empower social enterprises and charities in making informed decisions when selecting providers for retrofitting energy efficiency measures using social investment. 

Packed full of materials and guidance designed to help you navigate the energy retrofitting process from start to finish, this tool explores… 

-    How get started with energy retrofitting
-    Comprehensive guides to seven key energy saving measures 
-    How to choose the right installer 
-    Certified advice providers that can help

…and much more! 

Click the button below to learn more about what it is, how it works and to access the Procurement Pathway. 

Social Investment for Energy Resilience in action

Case studies are a fantastic way to see social investment in practice and explore how organisations like yours are using repayable finance to increase their energy resilience. 

Browse the case studies below or download the Energy Resilience case study deck for more information. 

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Câr-Y-Môr

A community owned business using regenerative ocean farming, food security and sustainable job creation to improve both the coastal environment and the well-being of the local community.

Duration
12 Months
Cost of capital
7.9%
Turnover
£783
Investor Details
Social Investment Cymru
Amount invested
£425,000
Product type
Unsecured loan (incl. overdrafts)
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Image of 2 storey white building with black sign and white lettering reading The Energy Training Academy

The Energy Training Academy (ETA) is a community interest company that specialises in providing high-quality training and education in the gas and renewables industry. ETA works with young people, veterans, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds to ensure they gain valuable skills for the green energy transition.

Duration
c.10 years
Cost of capital
1.27x to 1.5x amount invested
Turnover
n/a - Start-up
Investor Details
Firstport
Amount invested
£300,000
Product type
Quasi-equity
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Empower Community Foundation

Empower Community is a social enterprise that balances the interests of all stakeholders by developing projects that benefit all participants while providing high-quality, risk-mitigated investment opportunities.

Duration
16 years
Cost of capital
4.25% (2022) and 6.5% (2023)
Turnover
£4.4m
Investor Details
Triodos Bank - Corporate Finance team
Amount invested
£2.35m (2022) and £2m (2023)
Year of Investment
2023
Product type
Crowd-funded investment
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Win Turbine courtesy of Ambition Lawrence Weston / The Landmark Practice

Ambition Community Energy (ACE), is a Bristol-based social enterprise generating clean, affordable energy, run by the people of Lawrence Weston. 

Duration
3-5 years (depending on tranche)
Cost of capital
5%
Turnover
Nil
Investor Details
BBRC
Amount invested
£750,000 (+ £150,000 from Power to Change)
Product type
Unsecured loan (incl. overdrafts)
Secured loan
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Hemlington Lake Recreation Centre

Tees Valley Community Asset Preservation Trust is a registered charity (CIO) which was established in 2015 in response to local government spending cuts.

 

Duration
7 years
Cost of capital
6.5%
Turnover
£126,000
Investor Details
Key Fund
Amount invested
£35,600
Product type
Blended – part grant, part loan
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Volunteer at Trees for Life, replanting

Trees for Life is home to the first (known) rewilding centre in the UK and their vision is of a revitalised wild forest in the Highlands of Scotland, providing space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive.

Duration
9 years
Cost of capital
6%
Turnover
£3,030,847
Investor Details
Triodos Bank - Corporate Finance team
Amount invested
£2 Million
Product type
Charity bonds
Crowd-funded investment
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Wolverton Communtiy Energy - outside of a building with solar panels on

Wolverton Community Energy are based in Milton Keynes. They develop and manage community-owned solar PV and supply greener, cheaper solar energy to local businesses, the majority of which are charities and social enterprises. In addition, they run projects which help to improve energy efficiency within their community. This includes the Home Energy MK programme, supporting homeowners wishing to stop heat loss from their homes and cut energy costs.

Duration
14 years
Cost of capital
5-6%
Turnover
£55,000
Investor Details
Big Issue Invest
Amount invested
£257,000
Product type
Blended – part grant, part loan
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Photo of school children with solar panels

Egni Co-operative was established in 2013 and provides rooftop solar on schools, businesses and community buildings. It has installed solar panels on almost 100 sites across Wales.

Duration
20 Years
Cost of capital
4%
Turnover
£460,000
Amount invested
£5m
Product type
Community shares
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Farm Urban

Farm Urban is a social enterprise based in the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool and they operate the city’s first vertical farm whilst also delivering a range of educational and outreach programmes. 

Duration
5 Years
Cost of capital
10%
Turnover
£411,768
Investor Details
Livv Investment
Amount invested
£150,000
Product type
Blended – part grant, part loan
Media Centre - Latest News, Views and Updates from Good Finance

Blogs are a fantastic way for us to explore topics and questions that are of interest to our users in more detail.

From Autumn 2023, we'll be sharing regular blogs, podcasts, videos and more to further support organisations that are exploring social investment as a means for energy resilience. 

If you've got a question or suggestion for a topic that has not yet been convered here, please email aconstable@goodfinance.org.uk with your ideas and we'll see what we can do! 

Looking for Social Investment?

We've made it easier for you to search for investors that are actively investing in the field of Energy Resilience with our Fundmapper tool! 

Use the filters to select 'Energy Resilience' to show social investors that have recently invested to help organisations to build their energy resilience. You can also click on the 'Energy Resilience' tab at the top of the listings. 

Each investor will have a case study example of how they supported a charity, social enterprise or community organisation with their green initiatives.

Start your search today! 

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Search for energy resilience investors today!

 

Let's Talk Good Finance: Energy Resilience

In this event, brought to you in collaboration with Good Finance and Social Enterprise UK, we'll explore how different organisations have taken on different types of social investment to build resilience and scale their impact.  

With a focus on 'energy resilience', you'll hear directly from leaders who have used social investment to implement sustainable energy sources, scale renewable energy provision or support other organisations in managing rising energy costs.

By watching this session, you'll gain an understanding of some of the different types of social investment available, and hear directly from people who have gone through the process for their own organisations.

They'll share insights into the challenges, opportunities and impact social investment has delivered, plus their top tips for other leaders. 

Bust Energy Resilience Jargon!

Jargon exists everywhere - across sectors, industries, all over the world. If sometimes you find yourself scratching your head at the new buzzword or rolling your eyes at yet another acronym, you’re not alone.

We've added 10+ energy and environmental terms to our Jargon Buster to help you better navigate the space. 

If you spot a term on our website - or anywhere else for that matter - that does not feature on our Jargon Buster tool, please email aahmed@bigsocietycapital.com and we'll put that right as soon as possible! 

Guides and Resources
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Guide

 

Explore the various guides and resources on the topic of energy resilience, available for anyone looking to understand more about how they can future-proof their organisation. 

Types of Social Investment
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Hands hold a lightbulb with a seedling growing inside

 

From wind turbines to solar-powered batteries - and everything in between! Discover the various ways you can use social investment to support your energy resilience. 
 

Policy and Research
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Four people working around a table

 

In this section, we explore existing policy and research projects currently ongoing in relation to energy resilience.
 

Programmes and support
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Programmes and Support

 

Aside from social investment, there's other streams of funding that can help you to improve your organisations energy resilience.