News Blog
Brighton Energy Autumn Solar News 2024
As Autumn Leaves Fall Community Energy Rises In this issue… BEC Shortlisted for Community Energy Organisation of the Year What Does the Change of Government Mean to BEC? New Lease of Life for our Hillbrow Site BEC’s New 3 Year Strategy Could You Host a Community Solar...
Support Rooftop Solar at the GB Energy Bill on Thurs – Write to your MP 🌱😀
On Thursday, Parliament returns for the second reading of the GB Energy Bill. It's an opportunity to find out more about the government's plans for renewables. For Brighton Energy (and Community Energy in general), one thing stands out: while solar capacity grew 16%...
The Thorny Issue of Net Zero Collaboration Between Local Authorities and Community Groups. How is it going to work?
There has been much talk lately of how local authorities and community groups could work together to tackle the collective challenge of Net Zero. But how is this actually going to work? Germany and Denmark are often cited here as examples of best practice, as...
Empowering Energy Education: BEC’s Work in Local Schools
It’s about time we updated you on our dedication to supporting local schools through our innovative BEC Solar Education Programme. By partnering with local schools, we assist staff in educating children about solar energy, carbon and sustainability. We also support...
What is Community Energy?
Empowering Communities with Local Renewable Energy Clean energy means our energy system is evolving. Let's face it: the old thinking of the large, polluting plants no longer works, and it has not worked for a long time. Over the last fifteen years energy generation...
Long-Term Business Electricity Costs: Navigating a Changing Landscape
Understanding long-term electricity costs is vital for budgeting and strategic decision-making. The landscape of business electricity costs is shaped by multiple factors, including energy policies, market dynamics, technological advancements, and the push towards...
Community-Driven Excellence: BEC’s Cutting-Edge Renewable Energy Projects
In the past 14 yeras, Brighton Energy Coop (BEC) has emerged as a prominent player in the UK's renewable energy sector. Our technical competency, marked by meticulous project execution and a robust community-driven model, positions us as a leading example of how...
Sunny Side Up: Brighton Energy Spring Solar News 2024
Spring Unfurls Lighter Days As Our Community Blossoms In this issue… Community Energy Arrives at Newhaven Port First Community Energy South Regional Forum BEC Pipeline Hots Up Revenue Increased Through REGOs Scheme BEC Out In The Community We Launched A Free ‘Energy...
Community Energy arrives at Newhaven Port!
BEC's Bond kicks off community solar at Newhaven All 570 panels of our latest Newhaven Port 300kW system are go! The Witness Test was officially signed off on Monday (6th Feb). The port is our second major infrastructure partner in Sussex. BEC Co-founder, Will...
Four BEC Solar Projects at Shoreham Port – the EcoPort!
That's 8 Community Energy Systems! Oct 2023 saw BEC install a further 120kW of community owned #solar on four buildings at our long time partners Shoreham Port. Shiny new solar panels can now be seen on their HQ Nautilus House, Maritime House Warehouse, Maritime...
33 Sussex Businesses Receive EU funded Solar Grant from BEC
LAST OF EU SOLAR FUNDING HELPS SUSSEX BUSINESSES DURING ENERGY CRISISCommunity Solar Accelerator was a grant scheme run by Brighton Energy Co-op between 2021-2023. It was funded by the EU’s European Regional Development Fund. The grant provided match-funding to...
Brighton Energy Winter Solar News 2023
Summer Buzzed With Our Solar Projects, BBQ & Film Screening In this issue... BEC raises £700k in 1 month Our new solar projects kick off with Cardinal Newman Catholic School We wrap up our EU-funded Solar Grant scheme; 33 businesses received funds We host ‘The...
We’ve Done It! £700,000 raised in one month – our Bond Offer is now Closed.
Wow - we've done it! Yesterday we hit our £700,000 bond offer target for new solar installs, and consequently our Bond Offer is now closed. Many thanks to the more than 100 people who bought bonds. Interestingly, around half were existing BEC members with the rest...
Brighton Energy Launches 6.5%, 5 Year Solar Bond – Invest Now!
Brighton Energy Launches 6.5%, 5 Year Solar Bond - Invest Now!Hi there, I'm very pleased to tell you that we've just launched our first solar bond offering 6.5% interest per annum, with a five year term. Over the course of the last twelve years we've raised £4 million...
2022 Smashes BEC’s Solar Production Records
HIP HIP HOORAY! BEC's core objective is to take local action on #climatechange. Part of that involves building new solar systems. But it also involves making our solar systems work as efficiently as possible. The metric that BEC uses for working out how much energy...
How Are We Doing? Please Tell Us.
We want to hear from you! Please complete this super short survey. This is your energy co-operative so we want to hear your voices. We can't do any of this great community renewable energy work without you. As part of Community Energy Fortnight 2023 we're collecting...
BEC Business Solar Spotlight
Brighton Energy Co-op fully funded Solar at Brighton MET CollegeBills be Gone: Solar Provides Light Relief on Energy Prices Energy prices are still at historic highs - and with no end in sight businesses are increasingly hunting out alternative ways of getting their...
Brighton Energy Spring Solar News 2023
What’s On The Horizon For Brighton Energy This Spring? In this issue... A Bumper Pipeline of Solar Projects 10 Local Businesses Receive One of Our EU-funded Solar Grants BEC Bond Offer Update BEC’s Consultancy Launched Pioneering New Local Energy Community We’ve Been...
New BEC Investment Opportunity 6.5% Fixed 5 Year Bond
Let us know it you're interested! So - fresh for 2023 - we're moving on to our next major project. This will be 750kwp of new solar, or around 2000 solar panels, at a local port. To fund this exciting new Brighton Energy Co-op project, we are going to do something...
All Systems Are Go At Rathfinny Wine Estate!
Happy New Year to you all! Our largest ever solar system was signed off and switched on today. 1410 panels are set to produce a whooping 578kWp and save 400 tonnes of CO2 pollution each year. Thank you to everyone who has invested so far and worked through the...
Brighton Energy Winter Solar News 2022
Warm Your Cockles With Our Solar News In this issue... Over 120 people have invested in BEC's latest share offer - our biggest solar project yet. We gave 8 EU-funded solar grants to local businesses, worth a total of £165,000. BEC won an exciting new consultancy...
We’re On Site Building New Solar at Rathfinny Wine Estate – Join BEC now
Great news - work is progressing nicely at our latest solar build at Rathfinny Wine Estate. Many thanks to all of you who have already invested into our latest project. More than 120 people are supporting the creation of new solar at Rathfinny; it's always humbling to...
East Sussex College gets BEC Solar on Ore Valley Campus
Brighton Energy Co-op members funded and built a 250kW system of 909 x 275W panels for East Sussex College’s Ore Valley campus in March 2019. It generated 234 MWh in 2021 - the equivalent to boiling a kettle a million times! The financial savings for the college are...
Rathfinny Wine Estate Partners with BEC to Support B Corp Application
Rathfinny Wine Estate in Alfriston, East Sussex is partnering with Brighton Energy Co-op (BEC) to provide 1500 community-owned solar panels on the roofs of the winery. The project will save 400 tons of carbon each year - and support Rathfinny's application to gain...
BEC raises £300,000 – Join Now and Help Support Community Energy
Brighton Energy Coop's latest fundraiser has just hit the £300k mark - and counting! Over 70 people have bought shares in BEC in the last six weeks or so, helping us build more community-owned renewable energy in the south. This amazing effort is thanks to our...
£150,000 raised in NINE days – Join BEC Now and Help Us Build More Solar
Wow. In the nine days since we launched our latest share offer we've raised £150,000 towards our new solar build at Rathfinny Wine Estate. A big welcome to the many of you who have recently joined BEC - we literally can't do it without you. It's always humbling to be...
Brighton Energy Launches New Community Share offer – 578kWp of New Solar at Rathfinny Wine Estate
Brighton Energy Coop have just launched our latest share offer - to fund 578kWp of new community-owned solar PV at Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex. We've teamed up with Rathfinny - the latest of our more than 40 solar landlords - to host nearly 1500 solar panels. This...
Brighton Energy Summer Solar News 2022
Some Positive Solar News For You! Hope you are enjoying the summer. It's always a positive time for BEC as our solar generation hits the year's high point – read on to find out about our best ever solar generation day. Also included is our visits to our solar schools,...
Rudyard Kipling Primary & Nursery School Gets Cheap Solar Electricity
Saving Local Schools Money Through Solar As part of our 2019 Solar For Schools project 13 local Sussex schools received free community-funded solar PV energy systems. Rudyard Kipling Primary School partnered with Brighton Energy Co-op (BEC) to put a 60kW...
BEC Supports Schools at ‘Our City, Our World’ Event
BEC Helps Head Teachers & School Business Managers Head Teachers & School Business Managers are Under Increasing Pressure to Save £s & CO2 Brighton Energy were honoured to be invited to be a ‘city expert’ at Our City, Our World – Leadership for...
