Our Values

Our mission is to break down the barriers and accelerate the uptake of community owned renewable energy in Scunthorpe and wider North Lincolnshire.

There are 5 core values to North Lincolnshire Community Energy:

  • To bring local people and organisations together to tackle climate change
  • To reduce the use of non-renewable sources of energy
  • To create an active and engaged energy community in North Lincolnshire
  • To increase the affordability of renewable energy
  • To generate a social benefit for the community of North Lincolnshire

Our Objectives

  1. To decarbonise electricity used by educational and community-based buildings in Scunthorpe
  2. To reduce the cost of electricity and exposure to price volatility
  3. To incentivise and accelerate clean, zero-carbon, renewable energy
  4. To increase energy security by rolling out on-site renewable generation
  5. To educate children and young people on the importance of renewable energy

Co-operative Principles

We are registered as a Community Benefit Society (FCA registration number RS8805). This means we abide by rules which are set out in our registration and include:

• All Members have one vote regardless of how many shares they hold
• The Board is elected by the Members
• No Member, except another registered Society, may hold more than 100,000 Shares
• Only Members are eligible for the Board

We are guided by the co-operative principles set out by the International Co-operative Alliance:

Voluntary & Open Membership

Anyone can become a member, in our last share offer we set the minimum investment threshold at £50 (the lowest we could offer balancing with administration) to make it as accessible as possible.

Democratic Member Control

All members have 1 share 1 vote, regardless of how much they have invested.

Economic Participation

Members invest to become a member of NLCE, giving them the right to direct the energy society.

Autonomy & Independence

We are an autonomous organisation under the control of our members and the board elected by our members. We are supported by community energy specialists Energy4All, who manage day-to-day administration and helped to develop the energy society, but we are an independent organisation.

Education, Training & Information

We regularly get involved in our community, hosting environment events like our 'Climate Cuppa', site tours, and online events about community energy. Events are usually listed on our Eventbrite page.

Co-operation Among Co-operatives

We are part of the Energy4All network along with more than 30 other co-operatives who we can learn from and share resources with. We have also connected with other energy societies in North Lincolnshire and the surrounding districts.

Concern For Community

By installing solar panels free of charge on community buildings, then agreeing to a fixed price below market rate with the host building, we are saving local organisations large sums of money on their energy bills. That money can be spent on keeping our valuable community spaces thriving. If NLCE has a surplus profit we will either use it to develop solar on more sites or to distribute a community benefit fund, which the board will steer.