Engaging communities in energy issues

Engaging communities in energy issues

Why are Bristol community energy groups mostly from a narrow section of a diverse community? Why does it seem so hard to get others involved?

Energy affects us all - we all use gas and electricity in our homes. There are many people and groups working to create a new energy system where energy is affordable for all, environmentally sustainable and community-controlled. But this energy movement is only effectively working with a small part of society. The communities most affected by fuel poverty are often not involved in discussions about energy, or have much to do with the groups working in this area. Many energy groups try to reach out and involve others but often with limited success. But with these important voices missing, how can we create a sustainable, inclusive energy system that works for us all?

The aim of this meeting is to bring diverse voices into the debate with people from different communities sharing what’s going on in their communities, what their priorities are and the difficulties they face in getting involved.

The event will mostly be organised into small groups so you can have more meaningful discussions. By learning more about each other's different communities, culture, struggles and their views about the community energy sector, we can change the way we work so we can better include everyone