Bristol Energy Cooperative has been developing community-owned, green energy generation since 2011 and in that time has raised over £14million, installed over 9MWp of solar and battery assets, and facilitated over £300,000 of community benefit payments.
The group’s eighth share offer comes in the wake of a COP26 outcome that many have found frustrating. While politicians wrestle over words in statements, Bristol Coop is seeking to offer people the opportunity to get involved with meaningful, measurable and community-focused schemes to move towards a fully decarbonised grid.
The investment raised through this share offer will go toward funding some exciting new projects including a solar PV array on the newly developed Bristol Beacon, which is currently under major refurbishment. Re-opening in 2023, Bristol Beacon aims to be the UK's first carbon neutral concert hall, providing Bristol and the South West with one of the best performance and music learning spaces in Europe. The share offer will also help fund a smart microgrid on a new Cohousing Project in Bridport, which will be the UK’s largest, comprising of 53 sustainable, affordable eco-homes.
“The imperfect outcome from COP26 makes bottom-up action on the climate emergency even more vital” said Andy O'Brien, co-founder and director at Bristol Energy Cooperative. “By using people power, we can raise money quickly, install more low carbon technologies, and drive a green recovery for the region where locals feel the benefits.”
Purchasing shares in Bristol Coop will help reduce the impact of climate change, strengthen local energy security, earn investors interest at a projected 3.5 percent interest per annum and enable participation in the ownership of local renewable energy resources while also supporting the reinvestment of surplus income back into local community projects. Each investor, no matter how much they’ve invested, has an equal say in the running of the coop. The share offer closes 31st March 2022.
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