Getting started

Once you have decided which type of community organisation you will set up and have become constituted and have agreed the broad aims and purpose of this community organisation, you will need to begin to consider how to plan you specific communtiy project and who will be involved in the team leading the process.  You will need to work out your long-term plan and the various steps you must carry out to turns your plans into reality.

You will need to prepare a business plan and budget for your project and consider ways in which you can secure finance to fund your project.  Community Energy Scotland's development officers now have several years of experience helping communties turn these plans into real and successful projects and work closely with the community groups at each stage in developing their project.   Contact your local development officer who will talk through your project with you and advise how to proceed. 

Community Energy Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, has also produced a "Community Renewable Energy Toolkit" to help and guide community groups to develop their own energy projects. The toolkit is in three parts and enables groups to chose sections most relelvant to their own particular needs and provides case studies to support and explain the various technologies and benefits. The toolkit is available online on the Scottish Government website here.