Company Profile

CfR is a mission-led community interest company which helps communities to set up local energy enterprises and works with them to develop, finance and manage their own renewable energy generation. Since setting up in 2012, CfR has worked with local energy enterprises in over 30 localities from villages to cities to help deliver over 35MW of community solar from school roofs to one of the largest community solar farms in the UK. We have managed MW-scale solar farms and roof-top solar projects from feasibility through development, procurement, construction, financing and operation. We have helped raise over £40 million in community share and bond investment and commercial finance.

CfR’s role in delivering these projects has included supporting:

• Local energy enterprise set-up (including company formation, governance set-up, policies, director mentoring, company admin set-up and community and stakeholder engagement);
• Project development (including feasibility, planning consent, landowner engagement and legal agreements, grid connection and EPC procurement);
• Managing the community purchase of development-stage and operational solar projects from commercial developers;
• Raising construction and long-term finance from commercial lenders, social investors and community share / bond offers;
• Ongoing company and asset management to 45MWp of community solar in 6 localities.