Community Energy Newham
One click can make change in Newham
Learn how you can be part of bringing clean, local and affordable energy to your borough
Community Energy has come to Newham!
Together with local people Repowering London is bringing community-owned solar energy to Newham, working directly with and for residents to drive action on climate change and create stronger social ties across the borough.
The Community Energy Newham story
- Community Energy Newham (CEN) has been officially established as a Community Benefit Society, with five founding volunteer directors and a group of active local volunteers. Find out more about how the group works in the ‘How CEN works’ panel below.
- The first Newham solar panel installations at East Ham Library and Beckton Globe Library were celebrated at the co-op’s launch last year.
- This summer, solar installations were completed at Godwin Junior School and St. Stephen’s Primary School. We are also investigating a number of other sites in the borough.
- A Community Share Offer is coming! We will soon be giving local residents the chance to invest in CEN and clean, renewable energy. Watch this space, and sign up to receive updates using the button below.
Thanks to our funders
Join our monthly meetings
We hold meetings for interested people and volunteers on the 1st Tuesday of every month and would love to see you there. For details of the next meeting, just email communityenergynewham@gmail.com
Fun, creative events for you
We have already held a number of events and activities, including a Creative Energy Club, to give local residents a chance to learn more about the energy system and how they can help make it fairer and greener.
More events are on the way, so sign up for updates to ensure you don’t miss out. It’s easy, just use one of the buttons on this page to join our mailing list.
The view from a volunteer
"I have been experiencing the role of director in Community Energy Newham, which allows me to be part of decision-making and follow the project closely. I have a view that the group will continue to be strong and make this project successful."
How community energy can help Newham residents
CHEAP & CLEAN POWER
The project will provide a source of low-carbon, lower-cost energy.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Repowering London will run workshops that focus on energy saving and climate action.
FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
It is an opportunity for residents to take visible, direct climate action, which leads to behaviour change.
COMMUNITY COHESION
The project provides a focus for climate-conscious residents and builds community.
How Community Energy Newham works
- Local residents aged 16 or over, businesses, councils and others can invest in the Society by purchasing shares. Shareholders automatically become members. You can invest from as little as £100 (specific concessions £50).
- To ensure no one is left out, Newham residents can become a non-investor member for £1 and have the same say in how the project is run as any investor. Contact communityenergynewham@gmail.com if you’d like to be a non-investor member.
- The Society is run by members and a board of directors (see below) who come from the local community. Governance of the Society is truly democratic because each member has one vote, no matter whether or how much they invest.
- The Society uses the funds raised from shares to buy and install the solar panels, which provide regular income. We expect shareholders to receive an estimated return on their investment of around 3% pa over the lifetime of the project and get their initial stake back.
- After core costs and investor returns have been paid out, any remaining income is given to the Community Fund.
Ready to get involved?
We are not currently accepting investment in Community Energy Newham but click the button below to join our mailing list and be the first to hear of future share offers.
We are also happy to hear from people who would like to volunteer for our projects. Just email us at communityenergynewham@gmail.com to let us know you want to help.
Our CEN directors
CEN currently has five voluntary directors. Their role is to ensure the Community Benefit Society is running well and to support its development with support from Repowering London. If you would like to contact one of the directors, email communityenergynewham@gmail.com
Olawale Ajibola
Olawale has been a Newham resident for more than 30 years and is committed to tackling the climate change crisis with a focus on finding locally inspired sustainability solutions.
Kiera Coward Deyell
Kiera is Repowering London’s Low Carbon Asset Manager and a Newham local who is passionate about community-led innovations in sustainability.
Marco Brunone
Marco has been working in the energy industry for the past eight years and is currently working to help Great Britain's energy infrastructure adapt to a net zero, low-carbon future.
Zizidi Nluta
Zizidi has a BSc in Earth Science, has been interested in the climate emergency campaign since 2020, and is willing to support the process of net-zero emissions. This motivated her to build a career in the energy sector.
Patricia Calixto (secretary)
Patricia works at Repowering London, engaging with residents about community energy. She is committed to creating a fair and sustainable energy system and building strong, resilient communities.
