Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy

Created in 2013, Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy (WWCE) is a not-for-profit community benefit society owned by shareholders, governed by local volunteer directors, and chaired by WWT Trustee Julian Barlow. The enterprise develops community-owned renewable projects with the aim of reducing carbon emissions and encouraging more wildlife in Wiltshire, while delivering local benefits through its independent community fund.

WWCE currently operates two community solar projects at Chelworth and Braydon Manor,  as well as three rooftop solar arrays on Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (WWT) buildings at Clattinger Farm and Langford Lakes. Together, the schemes generate a total of c.6MW of electricity each year – enough to power around 2,000 homes.

With the protection and promotion of wildlife one of its top priorities, WWCE works closely with WWT to implement sound biodiversity and land management plans on their solar farms.

Surplus funds generated by the solar arrays are donated to its community fund and awarded as grants to support projects which share the organisation’s ethos, helping to reduce carbon emissions and support the proliferation of wildlife in Wiltshire.  The fund is managed by a panel and administered by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.