The clocks go back on 25 October, and for most businesses that marks the point where energy stops being a summer talking point and becomes a winter budget line.
It has been quite a year. The Met Office has confirmed that summer 2026 was the UK’s hottest since records began in 1884, with a mean temperature of 16.5°C, beating the record set only a year earlier.
The autumn got off to a bad start when, on 1 October, Ofgem’s price cap rose by 4%, driven by wholesale gas prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East. EDF has since forecast that the January cap could rise by more than 25%.
The price cap covers households, not businesses, but is still a clear signal of where wholesale prices are heading. For schools, charities and businesses on commercial contracts, that volatility lands directly on the bottom line, often at contract renewal and with little warning.
Silver linings
The summer heat makes the case well for solar energy. That is: solar generates most on the bright, hot days – the same days that push up cooling and running costs, meaning that a solar array cuts grid demand exactly when it is needed.
The importance of locally based community energy generation to the national picture is being increasingly recognised. In September, Great British Energy opened £30 million of funding for around 1,000 community-led clean energy projects, the first wave of a wider commitment of up to £1 billion for local power.
MKCE named a Green Business Fund delivery partner
MK Community Energy (MKCE) has been named a delivery partner under Milton Keynes City Council’s Green Business Fund, a 2026/27 programme supporting organisations that help MK businesses become more sustainable. This backing will help MKCE reach more organisations with its fully funded, community-owned solar. The model is simple:
- MKCE funds, installs and maintains the panels. The host has no capital costs and no responsibility for maintenance, insurance or equipment replacement.
- Lower bills from day one. The host simply buys the solar electricity it uses at a lower price than its current tariff.
- Price certainty. Annual price increases are capped, which protects the host's budgets from the kind of volatile swings described above.
- Money stays local. Surplus income is reinvested in community-led projects like Home Energy MK, which helps households cut energy use, lower bills and tackle fuel poverty in Milton Keynes.
Jane Grindey, Co-founder and Director of MKCE, said:
“Being recognised by Milton Keynes City Council through the Green Business Fund is a real vote of confidence in the model we’ve built over the past ten years. It means we can reach more local businesses with fully-funded solar, at no upfront cost and delivering lower energy bills, while every pound of surplus stays here to benefit Milton Keynes people and their homes.
This project, funded by MK City Council, is about more than solar powering electricity. It’s about community energy helping schools and businesses make savings that enable them to invest more in the people and services they support and that gives them greater certainty about their future energy costs. But most importantly, it’s about every MKCE roof installation helping to fund community-led initiatives like Home Energy MK, to create more energy-efficient buildings, lower bills and stronger communities across our city.”
One of five funded programmes for MK businesses
MKCE is one of five Green Business Fund partners. In a recent piece for Business MK, “Five funded sustainability programmes for businesses in Milton Keynes”, Daniel Cope of Green Lark Environmental Solutions sets out what each one offers.
Councillor Jenny Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet Member for Planning & Sustainability, says the projects will help companies “cut emissions, reduce costs and build a more sustainable local economy.”
Programme & Delivery Partner
What you get
Sustainable Business: Milton Keynes from Green Lark Environmental Solutions
Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint, one-to-one consultancy, a reduction plan, Carbon Literacy training and a Carbon Verified badge.
Green Business Sustainability and ISO Support Programme from Milton Keynes Green Businesses Network
Workshops and an internal audit towards ISO 14001 and ISO 14064-1, plus £200 towards certification (ten places). Register here.
MK Carbon Ready from TrackZero
Free carbon software, up to 50 funded Sustainability Suite licences and monthly webinars.
Community Solar for MK Organisations from Milton Keynes Community Energy
Solar funded, installed and maintained at no capital cost, and profits invested into community benefit programmes like Home Energy MK.
Industrial Symbiosis from International Synergies
The free SYNERGie Direct platform, matching one business’s surplus materials or waste with another that can use them
The programmes work well together. Dan’s advice is to start with an honest picture of your emissions and costs, then pick the support that fits your biggest opportunities. For many organisations, electricity is one of the largest items in that picture. A carbon footprint shows the size of the problem; a solar roof is one of the most direct ways to shrink it, which you can do without spending capital if you take the community energy route.
Is your site a good fit?
Community solar works best for businesses that own their building or land and use a good amount of electricity during the day. Schools, NHS sites, community buildings, offices, warehouses and workshops are all typical hosts.
Getting a survey done now means a system can be planned for spring 2027, ready for the long days when solar generates most.
