Prospering together: engaging communities in the energy revolution

Engaging local communities is critical to the net zero journey, and will help to unlock the huge potential of place-based approaches to energy.

Our energy system is transforming, but citizens have an effective veto on net zero delivery. People do not want to have things ‘happen’ to them, with decisions having already been made about where their energy will come from, or how it will be managed. Imposing solutions won’t work. At the same time, if mobilised, people can be a powerful force for change.

This report explores some of the ways in which engagement and communication have been undertaken across the projects in the Prospering from the Energy Revolution programme. It looks at how projects have approached participant acceptance of smart local energy systems and what lessons can be learned to take forward into future projects and programmes.

The analysis draws conclusions from the projects’ experience across many factors including finding early adopters, building trust and consent, using creativity, and helping to deliver a fair energy transition.

There are valuable insights here for all considering future local and regional energy projects.