Since then, our members have invested over £900,000, funding seven solar PV installations and one ground source heat pump. Together, these projects saved 241 of carbon in 2024.
The MaidEnergy approach
MaidEnergy is a Community Benefit Society created to tackle the climate crisis and support the growth of locally generated and locally owned renewable energy. We work across Maidenhead, Windsor, Egham, Staines, and surrounding communities, with over 250 members who believe in what we do. Our community business is democratically run, with an ‘asset lock’ to preserve the energy generation infrastructure for the benefit of the community.
We identify suitable local buildings ready to cut carbon and cut bills.
We use community investment and grants to fund installations.
We install and maintain solar panels or low-carbon heating systems.
The host site benefits from cheaper, greener power, spending their savings where it really matters.
Surplus income funds new projects and community action.
We launched our first renewable electricity generating community solar photovoltaic (PV) share offer in 2015. Since then our members have demonstrated their faith in us by investing over £900,000. Their investment has funded seven solar PV installations totalling 641.4kWp, which have saved over 780 tons of carbon dioxide so far. We have also built one ground source heat pump.
kW installed capacity total
Norden Farm Arts Centre in Maidenhead is a beautiful Georgian farmhouse and 18th Century Long Barn, carefully integrated with more modern buildings. It has a diverse range of performance, art, and education and a welcoming café. They have a strong environmental ethos and were very keen to be our first solar PV site back in 2015.
We have 38.5 kW of solar panels installed on this site, which benefits from the 2015 rate of the feed-in tariff. Most of our installations on this site are tucked away so not visible from the ground, but you can take a peek at the solar panels on the car park roof next time you visit!
We’ve enjoyed holding events at Norden Farm, including our 2019 share offer and 2025 AGM.
“Solar PV saves money and carbon – it’s a win-win,” said Matt Bliss, Technical Manager, Norden Farm
Magna Carta is a comprehensive school with over 1,000 students, between Egham and Staines. This site was our second project, and like all our sites, wanted to cut their emissions and energy bills. We love how they embraced this educational opportunity by displaying generation and carbon saving stats on screens around the school and showing students how the panels helped power their learning.
The initial installation took place in August 2015 and benefited from the 2015 feed-in tariff rate. We added a second installation through a share offer before the next reduction in the feed-in tariff. Overall, we have 59 kW on this site.
From installation during a heatwave, to difficult maintenance tasks, this site has been our biggest learning curve, and we look forward to sharing our learnings with other community energy organisations to benefit the sector.
This riverside activity centre in Marlow, has installed solar with MaidEnergy to support the centre’s education and youth-sports mission. They provide a plethora of activities such as Kayaking, Archery, and even Axe Throwing! Schools, Scouts and Guides are welcome to join for day trips or residential stays.
We installed 22.5 kWp amount of PV using FiT in 2020.
Nicola, John, and Vitalii on a recent site visit to discuss Maintenance work at Longridge.
TVAC was developed on Eton College’s former athletics track, by local councils to offer a range of leisure and recreational facilities. They are home to Slough Athletics club, Startrack Holiday Club and many more as a vital hub within the community.
We installed 77.4kWp of solar PV using the FiT scheme in 2020. This energy helps to power the ground source heat pump we installed to replace their 8 old gas boilers. So not only are we reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to support a better environment, we are also providing their members and visitors with reliable heat.
“In a world of unsustainable energy MaidEnergy is genuinely trying to make a change and provide a solution to the climate crisis while benefiting the local community. MaidEnergy is truly trying to uproot the old, carbon-based energy economy and lay the groundworks for a more sustainable energy sector in the future. Their principles surrounding sustainability are really amazing but my absolute favourite aspect of them is the ethics behind their finances. While most energy companies are greedy and go for whichever options produce the most net profit, a quick glance at MaidEnergy’s finances show that there are some genuine ethics behind their business. They are a non-profit organisation and encourage all of their investors to invest with the goal of developing the energy sector and not just profit. I genuinely believe MaidEnergy sets and example for all businesses with their strong ethics and look forward to working with them.” Fola, Eton College Year 10
Riverside Primary School is a Platinum award winner from OPAL, the playtime assessor, as the children’s happy learning is at the heart of everything they do. We are pleased to support them and future generations by helping them to lower energy bills through our 50 kWp Solar PV installation, which sits beside a solar array they installed themselves some years before.
Our 2023 installation at Furze Platt Senior School is by far our biggest project yet capable of 224.3 kWp. We were delighted to raise £248,000 during our last share offer to fund this project.
We have enjoyed working with an organisation that shares a similar ethos to us, as sustainability has become a key mission for them. Not only are they aiming to consume energy as sustainably as possible, but they have also incorporated fabrics made by recycling bottles as part of their uniform!
With striking architecture located on the edge of Braywick Nature Reserve, solar panels were incorporated during construction in partnership with MaidEnergy, in 2020.
We enjoyed going up on the roof during installation, the far-reaching view was incredible.
“Our solar power installation has reduced our energy consumption from the grid by around 10%, and we’re looking forward to working with MaidEnergy to add even more solar at Braywick.” Andrew Kennedy, Director at Braywick Leisure Centre
We’re proud to be part of the Community Energy Pathways (CEP) programme, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. This partnership supports community energy organisations nationwide through shared learning, training, and volunteer development.
We’re also excited to collaborate with the University of Reading on the Just Systems Project, exploring the future of fair and sustainable energy, and with the Great British Energy Community Fund (GBECF) to explore new solar opportunities across the region.
In my role at Community Energy Pathways we had the opportunity to include 11 community energy groups from across the country who were ready to accelerate. MaidEnergy has been the perfect, ambitious partner, readily employing staff with the funding and sharing best practice with the others. — Nicola Davidson, volunteer director, and project manager at Community Energy Pathways
