Unlocking the Opportunity for Community Batteries in the UK

Community batteries are quickly becoming one of the most exciting innovations in the UK’s energy transition. They sit at the intersection of clean tech, social equity, and grid flexibility by unlocking benefits for local residents, network operators and energy entrepreneurs alike.

In this roundtable discussion, experts from across the clean energy landscape came together to explore what’s next for community batteries, particularly behind-the-meter models that prioritise local ownership and participation.

🎥 Watch the full webinar here:

What are Community Batteries?

Community batteries are shared energy storage systems that allow multiple households or organisations to store and use electricity locally. Instead of each home owning an individual battery, communities can access the benefits of battery storage, like time-shifting solar energy, reducing peak demand, and participating in flexibility markets through a centralised asset.

They’re especially promising in areas with high energy costs or limited access to private solar installations, and they help accelerate grid decarbonisation without compromising stability.

Behind-the-Meter: A Smarter Deployment Model

Traditionally, batteries have been deployed in front-of-the-meter, meaning they interact with the grid directly and are often owned by utilities or commercial operators. But there’s growing interest in behind-the-meter community batteries, where the asset is embedded within a site like a community centre, school, or shared housing development.

This model allows for:

• Greater community control and participation

• Access to retail energy savings

• Enhanced ability to serve vulnerable households

• Opportunities to stack value streams (flexibility, retail arbitrage, etc.)

  
  

Meet the Experts Driving Change

The panel brought together leaders from four corners of the energy ecosystem: technology, networks, community, and investment to discuss what barriers need to be overcome to move from pilot to scale.

Aaron Lally, Managing Partner, VEST

Aaron shared how VEST is deploying batteries in innovative ways across the UK, with a strong focus on enabling communities to own and benefit from their own energy infrastructure. He highlighted the importance of smart financing and using AI to unlock underutilised flexibility.

James Allston, Co-Founder & Head of Growth, Orkestra

A clean energy veteran, James explained how Orkestra’s software enables rapid modelling of commercial battery feasibility. His insight into financial modelling and user-friendly tech is helping community energy groups understand whether a community battery project stacks up, technically and economically.

Alex Howard, Flexibility Design Lead, UK Power Networks

Alex provided a distribution network operator (DNO) perspective. His team is pioneering new ways to procure flexibility services from behind-the-meter assets, including community batteries. Over 175,000 households have already registered to provide flexibility across UKPN’s network.

Maureen Taylor, Trustee, Hirst Welfare Centre

Maureen brought the community voice. As a trustee of the Hirst Welfare Centre in Ashington, she spoke passionately about energy poverty, the rising cost of living, and the real-world benefits of having a battery onsite through helping cut bills and enabling the centre to support its local residents with resilience and dignity.

The Path Forward: Challenges and Opportunities

Technical Integration

Behind-the-meter community batteries need seamless integration with local solar PV, building loads, and smart meters. Software tools like Orkestra’s are making that simpler.

Financing & Ownership

There’s growing appetite for innovative ownership models: community shares, social impact funds, and power purchase agreements (PPAs) to make batteries financially viable and inclusive.

Flexibility Markets

As DNOs like UKPN open up new flexibility services, community batteries are ideally placed to participate. But access to these markets must be simplified for small-scale actors.

Community Engagement

Real impact happens when communities are empowered. As Maureen said, “It’s not just about saving energy, it’s about giving people control and confidence.”

Why Community Batteries Matter More Than Ever

In a grid increasingly powered by renewables, community batteries offer a way to localise benefits, support vulnerable communities, and create a more resilient energy system. They’re the missing piece between rooftop solar and the broader power network.

By unlocking value behind the meter, we can build a fairer, smarter energy future, one neighbourhood at a time.