People Power is here – and Younity is ready to power up the community energy sector
Communities can now tap into the first £30m of the Government’s planned £1bn Local Power Plan
Younity, backed by Octopus Energy and OurCoop, is helping local groups turn ideas into working solar, wind and hydro projects
The community energy champion is already supporting almost 350 community energy projects – nearly four times as many as five years ago
London, 17 September 2026 – Britain’s communities are being handed a major chance to take control of their energy, with £30 million of new Government funding opening today.
This is the first wave of funding from the Government’s planned £1 billion Local Power Plan*, aimed at helping communities and local authorities build their own clean energy projects – from solar panels on schools and community buildings to local wind turbines and hydro power.
And with the Government aiming to support more than 1,000 projects, Younity is urging communities to seize the opportunity and turn their ideas into reality.
Younity, a joint venture between Octopus Energy and OurCoop, is already helping almost 350 community energy projects across Britain – nearly four times as many as five years ago.
It helps local groups turn their ideas into real projects, providing finance, expert support, routes to sell the generated power on the market and ways to bring the benefits back into their communities – with more initiatives to come soon to help community energy go further, faster.
Some examples of Younity’s support include:
The Community Energy Kickstart Loan – up to £1.5 million of fast, low-interest funding designed to help get construction underway.
The Powering Communities Fund – grants to deliver social and environmental impact locally. So far, Younity has distributed nearly £95,000 to 27 groups.
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) – giving community generators a route to market for the electricity they produce and a reliable income stream.
Community Energy Connect – Younity’s free platform connecting community energy groups with volunteers who can bring a variety of much-needed skills and expertise to their projects.
Community energy is already booming. Across England, there are already over 400 MW of community-owned wind, solar and hydro projects generating enough power for over 200,000 homes while delivering £1.86 million in bill savings**.
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Customer Officer at Octopus Energy, said: “This is a huge opportunity for communities to take control of their energy. Younity can help to kickstart projects with cash, connections and know-how to turn bright ideas into real clean energy projects. The power is in people’s hands – now let’s get it generating.”
Andy O'Brien, Co-founder, Bristol Energy Co-operative, said: "We're really passionate about the positive impact of green power on our community. So we're over the moon to have got such quick access to the funds we needed to build our latest solar community energy project."
Sarah, Director of Barnet Community Energy (London), said: “I was introduced to a whole network of people working in community energy. With Younity's support, this led me on a journey to starting 'Community Energy Barnet', with big ambitions to cover the rooftops of Barnet with solar panels. Thank you, Younity!"
Community energy groups can find out more about Younity’s award-winning support here.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
Sources:
*‘People’s Power’ projects to give more control over local energy, communities across the country will be able to build and control their own clean energy supply (DESNZ, 17 September 2026)
**Community Energy England, state of the sector, Great British Energy and UK community energy representative bodies joint statement
Press Contacts
Octopus Energy Group
About Younity
Younity is a pioneering and award-winning joint venture between Octopus Energy and OurCoop (formerly The Midcounties Co-operative), championing community energy across England, Scotland and Wales. Dedicated to empowering local communities, Younity supports almost 350 different community-owned projects, helping organisations to generate, manage, and benefit from clean energy initiatives.
With a focus on people and the planet, Younity provides Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), loan and grant funding, and innovative products like Community Energy Connect and the Community Power Tariff to create a cleaner, more resilient energy future driven by everyday people working towards a better tomorrow.
For more information about Younity, please visit: https://www.younity.coop/
About Octopus Energy Group
Octopus Energy is a global clean energy and technology business, driving the affordable, green energy system of the future. Under its own retail brand, Octopus delivers world-class customer service and cutting-edge energy products to 11 million households globally.
The company is driving the electrification of heat and transport through smart tariffs and innovative clean tech, with operations spanning 27 countries and the entire energy value chain. It operates a £8.5 billion renewables portfolio as well as thriving EV leasing, heat pump, and solar businesses.
Backed by pension funds, investors and energy giants, Octopus Energy Group businesses deliver cheaper, greener energy and cutting-edge tech to countries and customers worldwide.
For more information, check out our website.
About OurCoop
OurCoop is the UK’s largest independent co-operative Society, with more than one million Members and 13,000 colleagues operating in communities nationwide. It was formed by bringing together Central Co-op, The Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star Co-op to create a stronger, member-owned organisation rooted in shared co-operative values.
The Society trades nationally through its family of businesses while remaining deeply rooted in local communities. Its footprint spans Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Bedfordshire in the South and West; the Midlands including Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Northamptonshire; the North including Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire; and the East of England, including Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
OurCoop and its family of businesses are trading names of Central England Co-operative Limited.