OurCoop wins National Sustainability Award for supporting community energy
OurCoop has been recognised at the National Sustainability Awards 2026, winning Major Project of the Year for our work to support community-owned renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions across our Society.
The Society was also shortlisted for Partnership of the Year for Younity, its joint venture with Octopus Energy, which helps community energy organisations across the UK develop renewable energy projects and share the benefits with local communities.
Together, the recognition celebrates OurCoop’s commitment to building a more sustainable future — combining investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency across our estate with support for community-led projects that help people benefit from the transition to cleaner power.
Powering communities through co-operation
A key part of this approach is Younity, our joint venture with Octopus Energy, established in 2019 to help community energy organisations overcome the barriers to developing and growing renewable energy projects.
Community-owned energy has an important role to play in the UK’s transition to cleaner power, but local organisations can face challenges accessing funding, securing fair prices for the electricity they generate and finding the skills needed to deliver projects.
Younity helps address these challenges by offering fair Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), funding, practical guidance and volunteer support. Today, it works with almost 100 community energy organisations across nearly 300 projects nationwide, supporting renewable energy generation and helping communities share in its benefits.
Through its Powering Communities Fund, Younity has awarded £80,000 to 24 organisations to support projects that deliver wider social benefits. Its £1.5 million Community Energy Kickstart loan facility also helps community energy groups access funding to develop larger renewable energy schemes.
Meanwhile, Community Energy Connect, developed in partnership with volunteering social enterprise Do It, matches community energy organisations with skilled volunteers. More than 90% of opportunities have been successfully filled, with younger volunteers helping bring new skills and fresh perspectives into the sector.
Younity also supports Co-op Energy’s Community Power Tariff, the UK’s only energy tariff powered entirely by community-generated electricity, helping customers support renewable energy produced by community groups.
Together, these initiatives are helping strengthen the community energy sector and create a model that can be replicated across the UK.
Reducing carbon emissions across OurCoop
Alongside supporting community-led renewable energy, we're taking practical action to reduce emissions across our own operations.
More than 130 sites have solar panels installed, generating around 4.7 GWh of renewable electricity over the past 12 months and saving more than 800 tonnes of CO₂.
The Society has also introduced automation and remote monitoring technology across more than 200 FoodCoop stores, working with energy optimisation specialist LoweConex to improve the efficiency of heating and refrigeration systems. Since 2024, this has saved 2.5 GWh of energy and reduced carbon emissions by more than 400 tonnes, while helping improve temperature management and maintenance.
Long-term renewable electricity agreements, including a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement linked to the London Array offshore wind farm, further support our transition to cleaner energy. Together, wind power agreements and on-site solar generation now account for 22% of the Society’s energy use.
These measures form part of our wider commitment to reducing its environmental impact, supported by science-based carbon reduction targets and an ambition to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2040.
Making a difference together
Winning Major Project of the Year at the National Sustainability Awards recognises the value of this combined approach - reducing emissions across the business while helping communities take a more active role in generating and benefiting from renewable energy.
By bringing together co-operative values, industry expertise and community partnerships, OurCoop is helping build a cleaner, fairer and more locally driven energy future.