NEWS RELEASE AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Mayor to launch community energy share offer,
11:00 on Wed 18 April 2012

Bristol’s green economy will receive a further boost this month, with the launch of a community-owned energy company for the Greater Bristol area.The Bristol Energy Co-op ( is launching a £87,800 share offer, and will use the money raised to install solar panels on community buildings in the area.

The share offer begins on 16 April, and runs for a month. And on Wednesday 18 April (11am) the Lord Mayor Councillor Geoff Gollop will be attending a launch event at Hamilton House in Stokes Croft. There will be an opportunity to see some of the panels and hear more about the share offer itself and the Co-op’s plans for the future.

Mark Corbin of the Co-op said: “A number of community groups across the city were looking at forming energy co-ops, so we pooled our skills and resources, and this is the result. We’ll be growing Greater Bristol's local green energy supply and making the benefits of green energy open to all.

“In this first phase of the project, we’re installing solar panels onto the roofs of community buildings in the Bristol area. The Co-op receives a guaranteed 25-year “Feed-in Tariff” income from the government for the electricity - no matter who uses it. We distribute that income back to our investors, and use any surplus to invest in further energy projects in the area.

“Our share offer is based around installations on two community buildings: Hamilton House in Stokes Croft, and Knowle West Media Centre. Our aim is to buy 167 solar panels in total. These will provide over 30,000 kWh of electricity per year - enough to power six average houses.

“Our share offer gives everyone the chance to be a part of the renewable revolution, whether they own a roof or not. You can invest anything from £50 to £20,000. This is an ethical investment, with clearfinancial, environmental and social returns. Investors receive a projected 4% annual return on their investment, the Co-op increases renewable energy generation in the city, and community buildings benefit from green energy at reduced prices.

“Whether you've put in £50 or £20K, you get an equal say on how we run things, and what we do next. We’ll also create business for the local energy firms we contract to install the panels. This is a win-win venture for Bristol. For more information about the share offer, please visit our web site at

For more information contact:

Mark Corbin, tel: 07503 372 689; email:

Notes for editors:

  • A further share offer launch event is on the following evening (Thursday 19 April) at 7:30pm, also at Hamilton House, as part of the Bristol Energy Network meeting – see
  • The Co-op is endorsed and supported by Bristol City Council, Bristol Green Capital Momentum group, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and Buro Happold.
  • Hamilton House is a vibrant community hub ‘where art, music, enterprise and innovation cluster as a community rising to the challenges of today and tomorrow’.
  • Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) is based in South Bristol and supports individuals and communities to get the most out of digital technologies, music, media and the arts.
  • The Hamilton House part of the share offer is a 20KW array. In December we partnered with Bristol Power CIC and solar installation company Ethical Solar to install 40kW of solar PV on the roof there. Ethical Solar financed half the installation and have given us the option of buying that, along with its associated income. The Knowle West Media Centre part of the share offer is a brand new 19KW installation, which is planned for June.
  • The share offer is open from 16 April - 18 May 2012. This press release is not an an investment document.

ends.

Bristol Energy Co-op – building Bristol’s local green energy economy.

07503 372 689 @briznrg on twitter