Maintaining Momentum: How Knowledge Brokers and Policy Translations can help Communities maintain Momentum from Seed Grants

The University of Bristol funded a research and knowledge exchange project during 2012-2013 to work alongside the Bristol Energy Network (BEN) and Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to help communities maintain the momentum from government seed grants in the field of green energy and to examine the roles of intermediaries such as CSE and BEN. The project considered what structures, processes and practical arrangements best allow brokers to ‘manage up and manage down’ between energy policy frameworks and community energy groups? How can community energies be harnessed and developed in ways that continue to both engage communities and constructively link with (ideally even shape) complex formal policy initiatives such as the Green Deal?

Exploring how community (energy) groups can maintain the momentum generated by seed grants for local energy and the roles of intermediaries in brokering and translating between top-down policy and bottom-up action.The project culminated in the 'Energised Communities' seminar in Bristol's BIG Green Week which linked with the launch of the Bristol Community Energy Strategy and brought together researchers, practitioners and community activists to discuss a range of research approaches to community energy around the country.