Pure Leapfrog's workshop slides on accelerating your community energy project- particularly useful for anyone looking at setting up a community energy coop.

1. How to accelerate your Community Energy project
Creating the right building blocks
February 2014
Pure Leapfrog registered Charity No. 1112249
Company No. 05534395 registered in England & Wales

2. Who are we …
 Pure Leapfrog - the leading provider of social investment and
professional support to community energy projects in the UK.
 We are a business led charity working with Government,
investors and communities.
 We bring together affordable finance and accessible
expertise.
Our mission is to ensure that community energy becomes
a significant part of the sustainable energy mix in the UK.
“
“
– Finance is secured through a credit facility from Big Society Capital.
– Expertise is provided by our professional partner network.

3. Pure Leapfrog in numbers
 Supported over 100
groups
 Working with 4 local
authorities
 Loaned £1m
 Over 20 projects
financed
 Over £6 of benefit for
every £1 loaned
 5,000+ hrs of pro
bono professional
services

4. Groups supported

5. Trusted for collaboration
“

6. Aim of workshop
Understand what
the key
components are
in delivering a
successful
Community Energy
Project
PETRA (Havering), mission control

7. Green social impact
 Can you combine renewable & energy efficiency
projects with delivering social impact?

8. Dummy scenario
 You’ve joined your local group in Sunnyton
 There are ~100k inhabitants in the locality
 Mix of social housing stock, industrial parks and
large fields nearby
 Your vision – Carbon neutral, lowering fuel poverty

9. 1. The Team
Working group 1
Working group 2
Task:
Build a dream team
Task:
Turnaround a team that
has run out of steam
Consider:
Skills required
How to recruit
Available resources
Addressing motivations
Consider:
Stock take
Result of weak team
What are opportunities
How to remedy

10. The Team a la Village People
The
Technician
Authority
figure
Law
enforcement
Local Hero
Commander
Logistics
Technical
expert
Chair/CEO
Professional
Services
Comms
Business
Process
Admin
Contracts
negotiator.
Technology
expert
Big picture.
Can round up,
marshal and
lead the team
Knows the
law.
Can work a
spreadsheet
Public
engagement.
PR and
Marketing
Planner.
Sees things
through to
the end
Attention to
detail.
Negotiates
risks
* You can mix and match

11. Mixed motivations
Tree-hugging
£ Bottom Line!
Politicking
What excites one person may or may not interest another.
What excites one person may or may not interest another.
Play to each others strengths!
Play to each others strengths!
Well-being

12. Long game
 What are some of the
long term issues?

13. 2. Business Planning
Working group 1
Working group2
Task:
Outline the plan of action
Task:
Outline pitfalls of getting it
wrong
Consider:
Stakeholders
Risks
Value proposition
What does success look
like?
Consider:
What can go wrong?
Risks
Commercial vs volunteer
run enterprise?
What does failure look
like?

14. Risks
 What are some of
the risks?

15. Value proposition
Why you?

16. 3. Key Stakeholders
Working group 1
Working group2
Task:
Create a pitch to a local
authority
Task:
You are a local authority.
How do you respond?
Consider:
What do you need to cover?
Approach - community
group vs commercial entity?
What do you bring to the
table?
Who do you need to
engage?
Consider:
Who needs to sign off?
What are the risks?
What are the processes?
What are the pros and
cons?

17. The Local Authority PoV
 What are the pitfalls?

18. Go forth!
What’s next?

19. Successful ingredients
 Commercially savvy
 Good story to tell
 Addressing local
needs
 A passionate team
with a long view
 Adaptable
 Keeping it simple

20. Team Building
Where to go:
Online: Project Dirt
Advertise e.g.
supermarket
Word of mouth
Town hall meetings
Local fairs

21. Supporting organisations









Pure Leapfrog
Share Energy
Energy4All
Scene Network
Energy Saving Trust
Low Carbon Hub
Co-ops UK
Co-op Enterprise Hub
Repowering

22. Wrapping up
 Any Questions?

23. Eden House, 23-25 Wilson St, London, EC2M 2TE
Tel: +44 (0)20 7825 4141
www.pureleapfrog.org
Pure Leapfrog registered Charity No. 1112249
Company No. 05534395 registered in England & Wales