Staffordshire Community Energy’s new community share offer has now launched, giving individuals and organisations the opportunity to invest in the solar installation at Lichfield Leisure Centre and support long-term community ownership of local energy infrastructure.

The offer opened this week, with an official launch event held at the leisure centre today, where local residents and stakeholders met the team behind the project and heard how community investment can support long-term local impact.

Delivered in partnership with Lichfield District Council, the scheme saw 395 solar panels installed on the leisure centre roof in autumn 2025. The system is already generating renewable electricity, helping to reduce the building’s energy costs and carbon footprint.  The share offer will enable the project to move into community ownership, refinancing initial development costs and ensuring that any surplus generated is reinvested locally.

Mike Kinghan MBE, Staffordshire Community Energy, said:
“As a Community Benefit Society owned by its members, Staffordshire Community Energy has a powerful not-for-profit community business model addressing climate change while also recycling financial surpluses back into local communities.

Our aim has always been to keep the benefits of clean energy here in Staffordshire. Lichfield Leisure Centre shows what that means in practice: a brand-new leisure centre receiving power from the sun, lower bills from day one, and a community fund to support local projects.

It’s proof of what’s possible when people come together to take control of their energy future.”

Staffordshire Community Energy are hosting an online evening webinar on Thursday 14 May, offering the opportunity to learn more about the project and ask questions.  Register to attend HERE

Full details of the share offer, including how to invest can be found HERE