Energising Britain: Everything you love is powered by electricity
In early July, SY Ecofit CIC joined communities, businesses, local leaders and climate organisations from across the region at the Energising Britain North East and Yorkshire summit, hosted at Bradford City Football Club.
The event formed part of the first national Energising Britain programme, celebrating the role of communities in embracing the clean energy transition and making renewables something people can see, feel and benefit from in everyday life.
For us, the strongest message of the day was simple: renewable energy is no longer something that belongs only in technical reports or distant infrastructure projects. It is becoming part of the fabric of daily life. Throughout the day we hear from the football club, York Minster, a primary school, and even the local chippy.
THE PANEL
A fantastic opportunity to hear from representatives of different sectors, who are effectively decarbonising operations, and bringing communities along with them. Chaired by the ever brilliant John Hart of North East & Yorkshire Net Zero Hub.
A panel about practical decarbonisation
Lizzie, Project Manager at Sheffield Energy Works, was invited to speak on a panel exploring how different sectors, including heritage and national landmarks, sport and catering are making exceptional progress towards decarbonisation and renewable energy use, and bringing communities along with them.
It was a brilliant mix of perspectives. From food production and farming to historic buildings and landmark sites, the conversation showed that the transition to clean energy is happening in places with very different needs, constraints and responsibilities.
Our contribution focused on the ReMooable Energy community share offer at Our Cow Molly: a practical example of how local people and businesses can help finance clean energy assets that support local food production at a family-owned farm, strengthen resilience and reduce emissions over the long term.
What stood out across the panel was how much determination exists despite the real challenges projects face. including planning barriers, grid constraints, heritage considerations, cost pressures and the need to bring communities with us. As the recent Community Energy England conference made clear, its time for community energy to go mainstream.
From football to fish and chips
Bradford City Football Club was a fitting venue for the summit. A football club is part of people’s weekly routines, family traditions and local identity. Seeing renewable energy and sustainability embedded on home turf helps normalise climate action as part of everyday operations, not as an add-on or a specialist concern.
The same was true of the examples shared throughout the day: a chippy embracing sustainability, community organisations finding creative ways to cut bills, schools and local groups making energy visible, and major heritage sites showing that even complex buildings can take meaningful steps towards a lower-carbon future.
That matters because the clean energy transition needs to feel relatable. It needs to be connected to the places people already know and care about — where they work, learn, eat, meet, worship, watch sport and spend time with family.
Community energy in action
For SY Ecofit CIC, Energising Britain was a chance to share the story behind ReMooable Energy, but also to learn from others working across the North East and Yorkshire, including chatting to Alex McCallion at York Minster, who has invited us to visit the site and see how we can replicate the incredible solar power installations there at our Wentworth Woodhouse site. Similarly, it was brilliant to be amongst so many northern community groups who are looking into the feasibility of mine water heat recovery, a mainly untapped source of heat, which again, could transform Wentworth Woodhouse’s heating strategy.