INVEST in Community Energy
Our latest Bond Offer is now open
we need to raise £750,000 by 27 May 2026
to help finance the construction of a 2 MW solar fARM IN COMPTON DANDO, bATH & nORTH EAST SOMERSET.
Investing in Community Energy provides opportunities for people to become part of the practical solution to climate change. By becoming a Bondholder with Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE), your investment will help us to, increase renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions and fuel bills, invest in the local community.
Bond Offer Details - Open to new and existing investors
5 year Bond
Minimum investment £100
Interest rate 5.5% (paid annually)
Capital will be repaid at the end of the five years
Key facts about Fairy Hill Solar Farm
The project will generate enough electricity to match the equivalent demand from around 800 homes.
Over its 30 year life, the project will generate £750k of community benefit, including £220k recycled back into the community through a ring-fenced community fund.
We will run a pilot offering the sale of electricity from the Fairy Hill solar array directly to local households.
We commit to increasing biodiversity through improved habits and a wildflower meadow and fruit orchard
Doing business differently
BWCE is radically different from a commercial operator. As a Community Benefit Society, we’re required to prioritise benefit to the wider community.
Whilst we pay interest on investors capital, we do not distribute surpluses to investors.
This has allowed us to donate £470,000 to our Community Fund which has awarded 119 grants supporting community action on carbon reduction and fuel poverty.
Our Track Record
14.49 MW of community renewables.
37 solar rooftop systems powering schools and community buildings.
5 ground mount solar arrays supplying low carbon energy to the grid.
1 small hydro scheme.
Generating equivalent electricity to power 5200 homes.
The Future of Energy is Local
This Bond Offer is being managed by Ethex on behalf of Bath & West Community Energy
Next steps
If you are interested in investing there are several ways to find out more and proceed :
Download our Bond Offer Document
Read our latest Business Plan 2025-2030
Review our Annual Report 2024/25
Join an online information session the ‘Cuppa Club’
Tuesday 21 April from 12:30 - 1.15 PM (45 mins)
An online discussion between Ben Sharpe, Senior Investment Manager at Ethex, and Pete Capener Co-founder and Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE). A chance to find out more and ask questions.
Book your place here
There will be further information sessions if you would like to join a future session or have a question about investing you can email us at
invest@bwce.coop
Read our frequently asked questions
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Bath & West Community Energy is a Community Benefit Society. This means that:
We are primarily for the benefit of the community at large, rather than just for our members. For more details see our Community Benefit page.
We have democratic decision-making built into our structure.
We can pay interest on members’ share capital, but we cannot distribute surpluses to members in the form of dividends.
We have an asset lock that protects the founding principles and ethos of the business.
For more information on Community Benefit Societies and how they differ from Cooperative Societies, another form of Industrial and Provident Society see here.
BWCE is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our registration number is 30960R
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Bonds are being offered with an annual target interest rate of 5.5%, subject to project performance. Interest rates will not exceed this target rate for these Bonds. The minimum investment is £100.
Full information about key facts about this investment are available in the Bond Offer document here
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The Bonds are eligible to be held within and Innovative Finance ISA. Investment returns on Bonds held in an Innovative Finance ISA are tax free.
New HMRC rules which came into force in April 2024 mean that you are no longer limited to one IF ISA account per tax year and can subscribe to multiple IF ISAs as long as you don’t exceed the limit of £20,000 per year.
Your ability to take advantage of this tax benefit is dependent on your own personal tax circumstances so you should always check before investing or consult a professional tax advisor. Please see the “Invest FAQ” section on the Ethex website for further information here.
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Applicants should consider investment in this Bond as a long-term commitment.
The Bonds are transferable which means technically they can be sold to a willing buyer. However, the Bonds will not be listed on a formal exchange, and there is no guarantee that you will be able to find a buyer nor what price they might be willing to pay. You should expect to hold the Bonds until the Repayment date. Ethex does not provide a marketplace.
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Buying shares (and becoming a member) of a community benefit society (CBS) is a different type of investment from buying a bond. Learn more about the key differences below.
Membership - You can become a member of a CBS by purchasing shares of a minimum value of £100 (in addition).
However you will not become a member of the CBS by investing in bonds. This means that bond holders do not have voting rights regarding the selection of directors and bigger decisions the society makes.
As a bond holder you can also choose to buy shares separately (and vice versa), if you want to also be a member of the society.
Interest
Payment of interest to bondholders is contractually binding and the community benefit society will be in default if they don't make the interest payments due to bondholders.
However payment of interest on shares is discretionary, which means it is optional, and the directors of the CBS can decide whether or not to pay interest.
Repayment
When you invest in bonds, you have the option to redeem your bonds at the end of the five-year term, and annually thereafter, and receive your original invested capital back. You will need to give notice of your intention to redeem 6 months in advance of the redemption date.
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Ethex helps everyday people make ethical investments that fund extraordinary organisations. Their vision is a world where everyone can use their money to create a lasting positive impact that aligns with their values.
Ethex is not required to be authorised by the FCA in so far as it provides information on or arranges deals in investments. This is because it is an Enterprise Scheme, which is exempt from regulation in arranging financial deals when not for pecuniary gain as specified in the FSMA 2000 (Exemption) Order 2001.
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Applications can be made through the Ethex platform here. Investors create an account on the Ethex website.
If you are a resident or citizen of the United States of America, you cannot invest via the Ethex website.
An application to invest in the Bond offer described in this Offer Document should be made through Ethex, a not-for- profit organisation operating an online platform for positive investments.
If you have a query about how to apply for this Offer, please visit ethex.org.uk or contact Ethex by email at help@ethex.org.uk
For general queries about this Offer, please contact BWCE at invest@bwce.coop
Register with Ethex before you invest
To invest in the Bath and West Community Energy Bond Offer, you will need to register with Ethex, a secure direct impact investing platform.
Ethex will need your information, proof of identity and will also require you to complete an investor questionnaire to ensure you understand the risks of investing.
Their team are available to help you through the registration process, should you need it, you can email them at help@ethex.org.uk
Ready to invest?
If you are ready to apply for Bonds online you can follow the invest button below to the Ethex investment platform where you can read the Bond Offer document, understand the risks involved and make an application.