GB Energy's £30m Community Energy Fund Explained

Great British Energy has launched a £30 million community energy fund, the first instalment of up to £1 billion promised for community-owned clean power. Announced on 17 September 2026 under the branding "People's Power", the money is aimed at community groups and local authorities building projects such as rooftop solar on village halls, libraries and schools. It is not a grant for individual homeowners, but it changes what's possible for anyone whose roof can't take panels.

How the £30 million is split

According to the government announcement, the round is made up of four pots:

• GBE Community Fund: £20 million for community organisations.
• GBE Partnerships Grant: £5 million for local authorities working with community groups.
• Scottish Government: £1.8 million, delivered through its existing CARES programme.
• Advice services: up to £2.9 million across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to help local groups develop projects.

Applications for England, Wales and Northern Ireland opened on the announcement date. The funding is grants rather than loans, and the government says the £1 billion programme is intended to support more than 1,000 local and community-led clean energy projects.

Who can apply and what counts

Projects must be owned by community energy groups or local authorities. To qualify, the community needs to hold "a defined legal and financial interest in the project", with a defined share of the benefits retained locally. Eligible schemes include rooftop solar on local buildings and community-owned wind. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said the aim is that "everyone deserves a stake in our energy future". The fund sits within the wider Local Power Plan published earlier in 2026, and builds on GBE work that has already put solar on more than 150 sites across English mayoral combined authorities.

What it means for homeowners and renters

You can't apply for this money to fund panels on your own house. Home solar is still paid for by you, or through routes such as solar bonds. The relevance is indirect: if you rent, live in a flat or have a shaded or unsuitable roof, a community-owned array is one of the few ways to take part in solar. Our guide to community solar in the UK explains how shares and local schemes work, and community battery storage covers the storage side.

It also fits a wider pattern of shared-solar models reaching UK households, such as E.ON Next and Allume's FlatSave shared solar for flats. Demand is strong: UK solar installations have already set a record in 2026.

What to watch next

Reports of the announcement did not give a closing date for applications or a maximum grant per project, so check the Great British Energy site for the current terms before you plan anything. If you are part of a community group or work for a council, the advice-services pot is the most useful place to start, since it is intended to help groups get from idea to a fundable project.