Skip to main content

SEARCH

Menu
Get quote icon Get Quote
our tariffs icon Our Tariffs
price cap icon July Price Cap Change
  • Home
  • •
  • Your Co-op Energy & Younity Partnership Explained

Your Co-op Energy and Younity

Together, we provide the Community Power tariff to Your Co-op Energy customers by harnessing the shared values of local people for a sustainable future. But how does this all work?

father and daughter holding hands infront of a wind turbine

How was Younity created?

Your Co-op Energy is partnered with Octopus Energy to provide renewable energy tariffs to customers. From this partnership, a joint venture into the local community space emerged and Younity was formed to support this rising community energy sector.

energy project group stood infront of solar panels and wind turbines

How does Community Energy work with Younity?

Younity is in place to support new Community Energy projects get off the ground with short-term finance for construction/fitting costs of new renewables, grants for groups to develop, expertise on community energy, and a free-to-use volunteering platform to link like-minded locals together. 

Once a local group is up and running with electricity being generated, Younity then buy the power from the group using the power purchase agreement. This agreement ensures that community energy groups receive a fair price for their 100% renewable energy, making it a win-win for all. 

solar panels on a roof

Why is Community Energy so important?

Community Energy is paving the way for sustainable power generation in the UK. This model provides power to the people to influence the energy market with reliable, renewable and more affordable electricity. Not to mention it can also add value to their home and it's a great educational tool for local people interested in sustainability. 

By using wind turbines, solar panels and hydroelectric generators, locally-led groups are proving to large energy suppliers that low-carbon power generation can be achieved, without significant investment. But crucially, community energy is kinder to our planet here and now with the Community Power tariff making this possible. 

community power tariff explained

 

The Powering Communities Fund explained

Younity offers the Powering Communities Fund which is a grant that supports newly formed groups develop their Community Energy project into a fully functioning force for sustainability. For every new Your Co-op Energy customer on the Community Power tariff, £10 is donated by Younity into the Fund. 

Community groups can apply for the fund by submitting a simple application form and twice per year Younity share funds to groups. So far, thousands of pounds have been provided to kickstart Community Energy groups and Younity can't wait to support many more groups ambitions.

Community Energy Case Studies

Younity helps community energy projects all over Britain to sell their power to consumers through Your Co-op Energy's Community Power tariff. Projects of all shapes and sizes are supported and often provided with the Powering Communities Fund.

  • Energy Garden, Solar Panels. London
  • Graig Fatha, Onshore Wind. South Wales

Energy Garden, Solar Panels. London

Energy Garden is a network of 26 gardens built on rooftops and unused areas near railway stations in London. They install solar panels to generate electricity for the stations and sell excess energy to the grid, with a range of well-maintained plants, flowers and even vegetables. 

In addition to the obvious environmental benefits, Energy Garden also brings social benefits to the communities it serves. The gardens have improved how people perceive railway stations, making them more welcoming, colourful and enjoyable spaces. They have also provided accredited educational opportunities for children and young adults, and have supported businesses nearby. 

Younity purchases the electricity for the Community Power tariff, making the Energy Garden a profitable business that can organically grow.

energy garden, London, community group

Graig Fatha, Onshore Wind. South Wales

Graig Fatha is the first consumer-owned wind farm in the UK, with over 900 members supplied with renewable, low-cost electricity.

Members receive monthly savings on their electricity bills that are directly tied to their share of the wind farm's generation. Members have already received an impressive 50% return on their initial investment in the form of bill savings…with a further 23 years of savings yet to come.

We’re proud to buy the exported electricity this wind turbine produces through a Power Purchase Agreement and sell it on the Community Power tariff.

wind turbine in wales