Helping Communities Unlock Solar Opportunities on Council Assets
A practical guide is now available to help local authorities and community energy organisations work together to develop community-owned solar projects on council buildings and land.
The Guide to Community Solar on Council Assets, provided by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub and available through Net Zero Go, provides a framework for local authority officers and councillors looking to facilitate community-owned solar projects.
The resource focuses on helping councils establish a supportive strategic approach while addressing some of the legal, procurement and decision-making barriers that can prevent community solar projects from progressing.
What Does the Guide Cover?
The guide provides practical support for local authorities seeking to enable community-owned solar projects on council buildings and land.
It explores common issues and considerations including:
- Developing a strategic approach to community solar
- Local authority decision-making
- Procurement requirements
- Leases and property considerations
- Power Purchase Agreements
- Partnerships with community energy organisations
- Local government reorganisation
- Building effective relationships between councils and community energy groups
Practical Templates to Help Projects Move Forward
One of the key features of the resource is a collection of editable templates designed to help councils move from initial discussions towards a structured approach to community solar.
The accompanying resources include templates for:
- Case for Action
- Decision Paper
- Motion
- Strategy
- Partnership Assessment Framework
These resources are intended to help councils kick-start and accelerate the process of developing supportive policies and partnerships for community-owned solar.
Why Community Solar?
Community energy projects can create benefits that extend beyond renewable electricity generation.
The guide highlights how successful collaboration between councils and community energy organisations can contribute to outcomes including:
- Local investment
- Lower energy costs
- Skills development
- Growth of community energy organisations
- Wider benefits for local communities
Learning from Local Authority Experience
The guide draws on examples from local authorities including Bath & North East Somerset, Plymouth, Barnsley and North Lincolnshire.
These examples demonstrate how local authority support can help community energy organisations develop and deliver projects while navigating practical issues around procurement, property, governance and decision-making.
Additional Guidance for Community Energy Groups
Alongside the main solar guide, Net Zero Go provides a complementary resource called How Your Council Works: A Guide for Community Energy Groups.
This explains how councils are structured, how decisions are made and which teams may need to be involved in developing a successful community energy partnership.
It highlights the importance of engaging with teams including estates, legal, procurement and finance, alongside securing appropriate political support.
Videos and Webinar Resources
The resource page also brings together supporting videos and webinar material to help councils and community energy organisations understand how the guidance can be put into practice.
This includes material exploring:
- Local authority and community energy partnerships
- Common challenges faced by councils and community energy organisations
- How the guidance can help accelerate community energy projects
- How councils and community groups can collaborate more effectively
Explore the Guide and Resources
Local authority officers, councillors, community energy organisations and others interested in community solar partnerships can explore the guide and supporting resources through Net Zero Go.
Explore the Guide to Community Solar on Council Assets
Some resources are publicly available, while local authority staff can log in to Net Zero Go to access the full collection of decision-making templates and supporting material.