This year’s Community Action on Renewable Energy conference (CARES) takes place on Tuesday 19^th September at the DoubleTree by Hilton in central Glasgow.

Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) supports communities to engage, participate and benefit in the energy transition to net zero. The 2023 conference will look at how more communities can take action on renewable energy, from decarbonising community buildings through to taking shared ownership in windfarms.

Organised by Local Energy Scotland, the CARES conference will feature a plenary session from Gillian Martin MSP, Minister for Energy and the Environment, along with organisations and communities taking innovative approaches to community engagement, and those working to decarbonise heat.

After lunch, there will be 2 sets of parallel practical sessions, which have been designed to help attendees understand what knowledge, skills, and actions they might need to develop their community renewable energy projects.

Workshops on the day include:

Introduction to Community Shared Ownership of Windfarms
Innovation – What Next for Community Energy?
Decarbonising Community Buildings and Place-Based Climate Action
How to Finance Community Shared Ownership of Windfarms
Community Benefits – from Community Action Plans to Net Zero
Heat Pumps – Heating for Net Zero

Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to meet Local Energy Scotland’s local development officers, find out more about CARES, and ask questions about existing renewable energy projects or an idea they may have which could be eligible for CARES support.

The draft agenda and workshop details are available on the Local Energy Scotland website.

Further Information

Who Can Attend?

The CARES conference is aimed at community organisations with an interest in renewable energy and who are involved in, or are looking to start, their own renewable energy projects.

Organisations in the renewable energy sector which support communities to help make this happen are also invited to attend.

Location: Where Will the Conference Take Place?

The conference will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 36 Cambridge Street, Glasgow, G2 3HN.

The hotel is close to major public transport hubs, including Buchanan Street Bus Station and Queen Street and Central train stations. Free cycle parking is available in the hotel’s underground car park.

How to Book a Space?

The conference is free to attend but advance booking is essential.

To book your free place, please visit Local Energy Scotland’s online ticket shop. Attendees should also remember to also book their 2 workshop choices when booking their place.

About Local Energy Scotland and CARES

Local Energy Scotland is a consortium made up of Energy Saving Trust, Changeworks, the Energy Agency and SCARF. They administer and manage CARES for Scottish Government.

CARES aims to accelerate progress towards the Scottish Government’s targets:

2GW of operational renewable energy capacity being community and locally owned energy by 2030
decarbonising Scotland’s buildings

This is achieved through funding and support for community groups to install renewable energy generation.

For further information, visit the Local Energy Scotland website.