Reading Community Energy Society enables the expansion of renewable energy and other low carbon technologies in and around Reading. We do this for the benefit of the local community and to help make the area a cleaner, greener place to live.

We currently focus on installing solar photovoltaic panels on local buildings, and will consider coordinating a wider range of emissions reduction projects as we expand.

We raise the funds to instal solar panels through our community of investors who buy shares in specific projects. For example, our Phase 3 share offer funded a solar installation on the Reading University School of Art Building. In 2025, investors saw returns of between 4-7% depending on which installations they invested in.

Surplus money goes to our community grant fund to support local sustainability projects. Buildings that house our solar panels benefit from preferentially priced, low carbon electricity.

Who Are We?

Reading Community Energy Society members include investors from the local community, Reading Council, and Energy4All. We currently have 227 investors, and welcome more each time we hold a new share offer.

Energy4All is a non-profit social enterprise that supports communities to own and operate renewable energy projects, and is helping to deliver this scheme. Energy4All's constitution is in the form of Rules approved by and registered with the FCA.

Each of our Board of Directors is passionate about increasing renewable energy in Reading. They are all investors in the society and come from a variety of backgrounds and expertise. See our Board of Directors page for more information about individual board members.

The RCES Board are driven by high ethical standards as defined by the international co-operative movement and intend to operate the Society in line with the values of co-operation and democracy as well as a sound commercial ethos.

What Are We?

RCES is set up as a ‘Community Benefit Society’ meaning it is a business run for charitable purposes. It is managed for the benefit of the community and owned by investors, who are mainly locals. These investors are RCES Members and are protected by limited liability status.

RCES is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (Registered Number 7156) under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.