Energy & Heat
Scotland has vast energy resources, but historically local communities haven’t shared in the benefits. With oil and gas controlled by a handful of large companies, local people have been left as little more than consumers.
What if our communities retained control of their energy and kept wealth local?
The move to renewable energy and new heating technologies creates an opportunity to do just that.
Through community ownership, local communities can benefit from it directly, through cheaper energy and local reinvestment rather than distant shareholder profits. Better insulated, more efficient buildings cut costs and emissions before a single watt is even generated.
We’ve seen good progress, but there’s still work to do.
Scotland had 1,148 MW of community and locally owned renewable energy installations at the end of 2025, just 57% of the way to the target of 2GW by 2030. Residential buildings account for around 20% of the country’s total emissions, and an estimated 31% of Scottish households are in fuel poverty as of mid 2026.
The good news? Reducing emissions and reducing costs don’t have to be against each other.
What we're working towards
Energy touches everything we do. When communities generate their own power and improve their buildings, the benefits are immediate and long lasting.
We want Midlothian’s communities in control of their own clean power and live and work in warm, efficient buildings, without it costing the earth, literally or financially.
🔆 Community-owned Energy
Developing community owned renewable projects so wealth is kept local rather than flowing to distant shareholders.
🏠 Energy Efficiency
Helping local buildings become more efficient, reducing costs and emissions simultaneously.
Our Projects
We’re actively working on two fronts to support the energy revolution in Midlothian.
CommonWatt Community Benefit Society
We want our communities to have more ownership of both clean energy and the rewards that come with it.
We’re working together with our neighbour Climate Hubs to develop community-ownd renewables that reduce bills to local groups and ensures all economic benefits are distributed in the region.
More details to come soon!
Community Buildings Energy Support
Do you have a community building and want to make it more energy efficient?
We’re working with Midlothian Community Action to guide local Community Buildings through the available options to reduce emissions and cut costs, from efficiency reports to finding the right funding.
Ready to start something in your community? Whether you’re interested in installing renewables or making your community building more efficient and cheaper to run, we’d love to hear from you!