What do we do?
Energy4All is based in Barrow-In-Furness in North West England and was created by Baywind Co-operative to develop other community owned renewable energy projects across the UK.
We have a two-fold mission: to support the UK’s transition to a low carbon energy systems; and to do this in a way that offers an opportunity for ordinary people to make a tangible contribution to tackling climate change.
We work with communities that want to develop co-operatively, genuinely community owned renewable energy. We help those communities develop a successful business case, and support projects through planning applications. The aim is to create balanced, independent boards with local people to oversee each new co-operative. Energy4All then helps the communities raise funds through public share and bond offers, brings the technical expertise to build projects to time and budget and then manages their continued operation. A core feature is that member returns on capital are capped in accordance with co-operative principles enabling surpluses to be applied to support the mission.
Once built and operational those new co-operatives become share holder members of Energy4All and support the development of more community energy projects through their membership, just as those that went before them.
Energy4All co-ops cover a range of technologies from wind and solar (ground-mount and roof-mount) to community heat and hydro schemes.
In 2017 Energy4All was elected to the REScoop board which represents co-operative energy across Europe. In 2019 Energy4All started working with renewable energy communities in the Irish Republic.
The Energy4All Development Model
Energy4All does things differently. The highest paid staff member earns no more than three times the lowest paid employee - and we commit to pay our fair share of taxes. The Energy4All ownership model is different too. Energy4All is owned by its member co-operatives and staff.