The Community Energy Challenge was a bold initiative by The Co-operative that supported seven community groups keen to develop sizeable renewable energy projects – e.g. valued at £1m to £3m or rated in excess of 500kW. The project, which was delivered by CSE on behalf of The Co-operative Group, aimed to encourage community energy schemes across the UK by actively supporting groups in identifying and overcoming barriers, raising awareness of community renewables, creating schemes that could be replicated elsewhere and, unsurprisingly given the funder, encouraging a cooperative ownership model.