INVEST in Community Energy
COMMUNITY BOND OFFER CLOSED 27 MAY 2026
Target achieved to fund the construction of our 2MW solar farm in Compton Dando!
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, and invest in the local community.
£1,000,000
£1 Million raised 133% of initial £750K target
£30,000 match funded when £541,246 was raised thanks to -
WE HAVE THE POWER
Fairy Hill Solar Farm, Compton Dando
Our Bond Offer
Attracted new and existing investors
5
Year bond
5.5%
Interest rate (paid annually)
£100
Minimum investment
We partnered with Ethex, to manage our investment bond offer
Read our bond document here
Ready to invest?
Capital will be repaid at the end of the five years. Capital at risk. Returns are not guaranteed. Please read the full offer document before investing.
Key facts
Fairy Hill Solar Array, Compton Dando
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 sell solar electricity from Fairy Hill Solar Farm to local householders via an Energy Local Club
We commit to increasing biodiversity through improved habits and a wildflower meadow and fruit orchard
Doing business differently
With us, both investors and the community benefit
We are radically different from traditional commercial operators. As a Community Benefit Society, our prioritise on creating a positive impact for the wider community. While we offer a fair return on investors capital, any surplus we generate is reinvested to support and strengthen the local community.
£470k donated
Donated to the BWCE Fund to support local community projects reducing carbon emissions and combating fuel poverty.
16.54MW capacity
Our projects have the annual generating capacity to power the equivalent of 6,000 homes.
46 Projects
39 rooftop solar PV systems (schools and other buildings), 6 ground mounted solar arrays and 1 hydro scheme.
111+ Grants
Awarded to 64 community organisations through the BWCE Fund since 2015.
Past Sessions
Online chat between Ethex and BWCE co-founder Pete Capener
Ben Sharpe, Senior Investment Manager at Ethex, and Pete Capener Co-founder and Managing Director of BWCE discuss the Bond Offer
Interested in investing but want to know more?
Read our Bond Offer document
And for more information about BWCE, you can also read our latest Business Plan 2025-2030and our Annual Report 2024/25
Since 2010 we have raised £14.7 million through community share and bond offers and paid our investors a fair return.
I first invested in BWCE, back in 2020, because I believe in what it’s doing for both the environment and as an organisation which invests in the community. Their projects and ethos are all in line with my values and beliefs, and, investing is made so easy… and of course, the fair return is great!
– Lorna Montgomery
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