A village-run project, for the village
Fuelled and powered by our own clean, secure energy
Broughton Community Energy is a small volunteer group with big ambitions. Our focus is on developing low-cost, low-carbon energy solutions for our village — sustainable, secure and fair for everyone here.
Why have we done this?
We're a rural community, mostly off the gas grid, where oil heating and daily car journeys are simply how life works here. But if we can generate our own low-cost electricity, and help each other along the way, the transition to cleaner heating and transport gets a lot easier — and a lot more affordable.
What are our objectives?
Environmental
- Reduce CO2 emissions from our village
- Enable the cost-effective replacement of fossil fuel heating
- Support the transition to electric vehicles
- Contribute to regional and national sustainability goals
Economic
- Reduce our energy costs
- Reduce energy poverty in our community
- Increase our energy security and resilience
Community
- Provide a blueprint that inspires other communities to act
- Elevate community cohesion
What have we achieved so far?
Organisational
- Established a working group that meets regularly
- Agreed our Vision and Objectives, having tested them with initial pilot groups
- Selected a specialist consultancy to support us with the feasibility study
Partnerships & Funding
- Engaged local action groups: Community Energy South, Dragonfly Power, and Energise South Downs
- Held initial meetings with the TVBC Planning Department
- Engaged Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN), who operate our local electrical distribution network
- Awarded a £40K grant from the government's Community Energy Fund (CEF) to undertake a full feasibility study
Community Engagement
- Secured the support of Broughton Parish Council and Test Valley Borough Council
- Held a Future Energy Landscapes Workshop on 27 November in the village hall to better understand community sentiment — well attended, with positive feedback
- Created an Advice Page