Derbyshire Dales Community Energy

Who we are

Derbyshire Dales Community Energy (DDCE) helps local communities develop low carbon, renewable, community energy projects that benefit both people and planet.

Our core aims are:

• To decarbonise our region
• To support local businesses, community buildings and councils to reduce their energy bills and keep their doors open
• To use any profits to provide charitable support to our communities
• To help people feel inspired and empowered to take action on climate change.

What we do

We have received the government’s CEF funding to conduct solar feasibility studies on several buildings in Matlock, and in June 2024 we completed our first installation of solar panels on Twiggs Stores. They are now benefiting from reduced energy bills and a reduced carbon footprint, and any profit is reinvested into further solar projects.

Currently, we have at least 4 other businesses and community buildings lined up for solar installations. We are running a project to explore sustainable energy use at Bakewell Golf Club, as well as conducting an innovative study on the viability of solar canopy car parks across the Derbyshire Dales. We also coordinate the Derbyshire Community Energy Hub, where we support the 20 community energy groups in the county with knowledge-sharing, events and collaborative projects.

In 2023, we received Community Energy England’s Small-Medium Organisation of the Year award in recognition of our work.

Our culture and values

We exist to tackle climate change and make clean energy accessible to local communities.

We believe that:

Young people have the right to a safe future on a healthy planet

Tackling climate change involves action at all levels - from governments to individuals - but our focus is the community level

Energy democracy is important and necessary - i.e. that energy is low-carbon and sustainable, affordable, and that communities participate in the control and ownership of their local energy sources.