Stronger Together in Dundee: community energy in practice
When we report on projects like Dundee Renewable Energy Society (DRES), it's often in terms of megawatts, carbon savings, and the community benefit they can generate. But sometimes you need to see a project in-person, and hear from the people who helped to make it happen, to understand the scale of what can be achieved and what can be learnt for future community energy projects.
That was the idea behind Energy4All’s 2026 Conference, Stronger Together: Co-Creating the Future of Community Energy, held in Dundee and Invergowrie across 9th and 10th October. The Friday programme brought together over 100 community energy stakeholders from across Scotland, England and Northern Ireland to the James Hutton Institute (JHI), across the road from Dundee Renewable Energy Society’s 2.6 MWp solar meadow (constructed in late 2024), which now helps power the campus through a private wire arrangement.
Panel discussion: Dundee Solar: How it Happened with Helen Grayshan (Panel Chair, Energy4All), Colin Smith (James Hutton Institute and DRES Director), Alex Schlicke (Scene Connect), Richard McCready (DRES Chair)
Solar tour of the DRES solar meadow
The project is an inspiring example of what community energy can achieve. The campus uses almost 100% of the electricity produced to power its agricultural research, maximising the solar panel's efficiency and therefore making it viable project. But it is also a reminder that projects of this scale are never straightforward. During the panels, speakers reflected on the obstacles faced along the way: working with public and private partners, securing access, navigating timelines when some steps take years and others need addressing within days. In this case, huge added complexity was due to the private wire crossing underneath a major trunk road dividing the JHI's land.
What made Dundee work was the determination of all individuals/organisations to keep going, from the co-op directors to the construction managers, lawyers, and the JHI itself, because they were genuinely invested in its success. Different partners stepped in to lead at different times, bringing their unique expertise and resources when most in need.
Colin Smith from the JHI noted that the campus would have struggled to pay outright for the panels, and commercial developers would have been keen to use the land; but working with Dundee Renewable Energy Society created a way to make it happen with lasting community benefit, not simply commercial return.
Panel discussion: Dundee Solar as a template for community energy? With Lesley Hinds (Chair, Energy4All) Alex Schlicke (Scene Connect), Fraser Stewart (GB Energy), David McGuire (MFMac), Marna McMillin (Energy4All)
Aerial view of the solar panels - the James Hutton Institute is across the trunk road
Speakers agreed that community energy should succeed not just thanks to good-will, but because it makes sense: for communities, for energy users, for investors and for the environment. Reducing carbon impact matters, but so does creating a robust project that can stand on its own terms and benefit everyone involved.
We're seeing a huge amount of positive support for community energy right now, but we want to see that translated into successful projects of scale - we hope attendees came away feeling inspired by seeing one such project.
Energy4All's conference was spread over two days this year. Notes to follow on the second day, when we took a closer look at GB Energy's Local Power Plan as well as shared ownership and co-op values. As always, you can reach out to us if you have a community energy project in mind and are looking for support with development or management services.