Local workshops coming soon to six pilot areas in Wiltshire

Wiltshire Council is part of a project that enables communities to help shape the way energy is produced and used in their area.  

The project, called Future Energy Landscapes (FEL), is run by Centre for Sustainable Energy and funded by Ofgem’s Redress fund. 

A pilot project is being run in Wiltshire with six communities, to start conversations about energy use and renewable energy generation. This includes keeping homes warm and healthy and reducing energy bills. 

Community-led energy projects keep benefits local – from cheaper energy bills to investment in local facilities. When communities lead energy projects, they create solutions that work for everyone – tackling both climate change and rising energy costs.  

The project will result in communities creating a community-led vision for renewable energy in their area.

The first workshop is taking place in Corsham on 3 July at 6pm-8.30pm at Corsham Town Hall. This falls within Community Energy Fortnight. Wiltshire Council is supporting the growth of community-led energy projects in the county, as set out in its Climate Delivery Plan – https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/green-economy-climate-change. There will be more workshops confirmed across the county soon. 

The aim of this project is to engage 21 communities across four local authority areas. Working in partnership, with local authorities and community energy groups, the FEL approach will explore how communities can promote community energy and tackle fuel poverty in their area. By the end of the two years, more communities will develop local energy plans that are curated by and work for the people they serve. 

Cllr Paul Sample JP, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Waste said: “Empowering and inspiring communities to take action and lead from the front on projects like this will help accelerate steps to support the county to be carbon neutral. 

“We’re pleased to be working with the Centre for Sustainable Energy on this project that will be shaped around local needs, and that ethos is very much in step with our vision.” 

Future Energy Landscapes (FEL), developed by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), is an innovative community-led engagement process. The outputs which emerge from communities as part of the FEL process can build public consent for developing renewables and guide local planning authorities to craft ambitious and community-aligned renewable energy policies. 

It’s not just about meeting net zero goals; it’s about creating a future that communities support and directly benefit from.  

• FEL is a community engagement approach to develop and gain support for local renewable energy plans.
• FEL puts communities in the driving seat of local energy planning.
• FEL workshops create space for honest conversations about local energy needs, concerns, and opportunities.

The Corsham event is for those who live and work in the Corsham area. To book a place onto the workshop, people can sign up at Workshop on energy in the Corsham area Tickets, Thu, Jul 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite.

More information about the Future Energy Project can be found at https://www.cse.org.uk/my-community/future-energy-landscapes/

To follow the progress of the pilot project and information on the Future Energy Landscapes approach people should visit https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/green-economy-climate-emergency.