Framework for the implementation of community renewable energy projects in the UK

Abstract

Community Renewable Energy Projects (CREPs) are among the most significant contributors to the UK CO2 emission reduction targets, and therefore have become a key agenda in many UK sustainable Energy reports. Unlike conventional energy projects, CREPs are particularly focused on how community engagement can facilitate Renewable Energy projects delivery process; enhance local ownership through the various Business Models deployed. There is a common believe that business models are central to understanding an organisation’s many approaches to capturing the customer’s needs, how these needs can be met to their satisfaction and how revenue can be generated in the process. The thesis explores the impacts of the UK Community Energy Business Model (CEBMoD) on the success of CREPs in planning, implementation, operational and disposal phases of the project.

Drawing on extant literature, factors that describe CEBMoD effectiveness, management structure as well as common influencing factors to overall project success were obtained. To further gauge the opinion of experts on the importance of these factors, questionnaire survey was administered to UK wide CREPs practitioners while some sitting directors in the board of selected CEBMoDs and key personnel from CREPs support organisations in Scotland were interviewed. Based on its open sourced nature, robustness and flexibility in coding, R programming language and the relevant packages were used in the analysis of the questionnaire items, while NVivo was used in analysing the interview data.

The factor analysis revealed four principal influencing factors to CREPs planning phase, three for implementation and operational phases respectively, and two for disposal phase. Another eleven principal factors which are focused on testing CREPs impacts and seven most parsimonious set of components for CEBMoD’s management structure were also obtained. A total of twenty-three regression models were tested for relationship between an effective CEBMoD and CREPs success.

The principal issues and suggestions which have arisen from the regression models and interview analysis is used in the development of a framework for the selection of appropriate Community Energy Business Model (CEBMoD) for a particular Community Renewable Projects (CREPs) development. Guiding recommendations for improving incumbent/setting up new CEBMoD for implementation of future CREPs have been specified in the framework