An independent report has taken an in-depth look at eight projects supported by Northern Powergrid through its Community Energy Seed Fund to explore the environmental and social benefits of community projects.
The network company said identifying benefits above financial savings and local investment can “only be beneficial in helping more projects succeed and deliver further social benefits for local people and communities”.
It added that the report shows community energy “is more than just energy – it’s an outreach activity that develops, strengthens, and educates a local community”.
Northern Powergrid has provided £100,000 of grants to community energy projects across Yorkshire and the North East since 2014.
The report also highlights the importance that seed funding, such as that awarded to seven projects by the DNO, can make in helping projects get off the ground.
The company’s sustainability manager Anne-Claire Leydier said: “Community energy projects often have an element related to money, such as saving money on bills or creating a steady income, but they also have a tangible, positive social impact for the people who get involved and those at the receiving end of a project.”