Grimsby Community Energy Supports Ambitious Vision for the Future of Local Energy

Last week, Grimsby welcomed a very special visitor as His Majesty The King visited the town as part of the ongoing Our Future programme.

Representing Grimsby Community Energy, Dr Vicky Dunn, Managing Director, and Steve Rusling, Communications and Development Manager, were invited to attend a special event held at Blundell Park, home of Grimsby Town Football Club.

The event brought together around 50 invited delegates from across the town and wider region, representing a broad range of organisations, businesses and community groups. Delegates were divided into five discussion groups, each focused on a key theme linked to Grimsby’s future prosperity and development.

One of the themes particularly relevant to Grimsby Community Energy explored an ambitious challenge: how the town could increase community-owned energy generation by 100 times over the next ten years.

The format encouraged collaboration and fresh thinking. Delegates spent ten minutes at each discussion table before moving on to the next, allowing ideas, opportunities and challenges to be explored from a wide range of perspectives. Throughout the session, participants shared practical solutions, identified barriers to progress and discussed how organisations could work together to deliver meaningful change.

For Grimsby Community Energy, the conversation was particularly encouraging. Over the past decade, community energy has grown from a small local initiatives into a movement that is helping communities across the country take greater control of their energy future. The aspiration to significantly increase community energy generation in Grimsby, reflects the growing recognition that local ownership can play an important role in reducing carbon emissions, tackling fuel poverty and ensuring the benefits of renewable energy remain within the community.

While achieving a 100-fold increase in community energy capacity would require significant investment, partnership working and long-term commitment, Grimsby Community Energy believes the ambition is both exciting and worthy of serious consideration.

Dr Vicky Dunn said:

“The discussions highlighted just how much enthusiasm exists across the town for creating a more sustainable and resilient future. Community energy has already demonstrated what can be achieved when local people work together, and it was inspiring to hear so many positive ideas being shared.”

Steve Rusling added:

“It was a privilege to be invited to take part in such an important conversation. Bringing together people from different sectors created a real opportunity to explore what Grimsby could achieve over the next decade. Grimsby Community Energy stands ready to support future discussions and help turn ambition into action.”

As conversations continue following the King’s visit, Grimsby Community Energy looks forward to working with partners, stakeholders and local communities to explore how this vision can be developed and delivered for the benefit of Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire.