Grimsby project praised for helping local businesses save with solar

A community energy project in Grimsby has been receiving national praise for it's work reducing local businesses bills.

Grimsby Community Energy (GCE) started in 2016 and now has solar panels on 12 local sites.

The GCE were also named Community Project of the Year at the 2025 Humber Renewables Awards and have been announced as a finalist at the national UK Green Business Awards.

They will find out if they can add another trophy to their collection at a ceremony on 11 June.

“This recognition is proving that community energy can truly power local people and places,” the group said.

Over the last nine years, GCE has raised over £840,000 to install rooftop solar panels at not-for-profit organisations in the area.

The project means groups such as St Andrews Hospice charity shop and the YMCA Humber housing complex, as well as the CATCH engineering training centre in nearby Stallingborough, pay less for their energy while everyone who invests has a say in the running of the society.

After the success of its latest community share offer, which closed in March having raised £377,000, the co-operative is now examining the feasibility of adding battery storage and a wind turbine to its portfolio.

Jenny Hudson, GCE’s communications and administration manager, explained: “Through our solar panels, we can provide much cheaper energy to a charity than if they were taking it from the grid.

“It means they can put the money they save into where it is needed most within the charity,

“We operate as a business with a social objective - to supply clean green energy to local people.”

Jenny added: “We currently have two studies looking at battery storage and a single wind turbine. It’s early days but they both represent a big step for us if they prove to be feasible and the numbers stack up.”

Organisations hosting the new panels are expected to save around £24,000 per year on their energy bills.

GCE also runs a community benefit fund for smaller schemes, including helping a charity install low-energy lighting and funding a skip for retired fisherman Frank Sparkes who has dedicated the last 27 years to daily litter-picks in the town.

It also supports local students interested in climate change by offering work placements as part of their college studies.

Ashleigh Carpenter, 16, works at the co-op one day a week as part of her A-levels.

She said: “I’ve been involved in a few student-led sustainability schemes at college, putting the case for reducing the use of plastic bottles by introducing free reusable cups.

“It got me interested in sustainability and progressing my skills but especially at my age it can be difficult to find employment in the sector.

“Grimsby is quite a deprived area so this is a great opportunity for me to help. I’m very pleased to be here.”

Callum Hough, 21, is also on a placement with GCE as part of a T-level course in management and administration at Franklin College in Grimsby.

Having worked closely on the latest share offer, he said: “The UK has some of if not the highest electricity prices in the world and I felt that with no price cap or much of any support at all for commercial energy costs, I needed to do something about it.

“That's why I chose GCE instead of conventional experience offered. I joined at a critical stage, just as the team had started a crowdfunder campaign.

“We managed to hit 100% of our initial target after a month of being listed and then we continued to push it heavily and hit our maximum of £380,000 – we closed the offer just over a month early.

“It's amazing how people from across the UK and Europe contributed not only for a good return on their investment but for something local and tangible.

“We have and will deliver results for local organisations, helping them allocate more funds for youth training and support for housing the vulnerable.

“Ultimately, it’s my goal to raise more investment worldwide.”