About Us
In 2010 a group of individuals passionate about renewable energy formed MaidEnergy, with the intention of cutting carbon emissions and enabling community ownership of locally generated renewable energy.
We launched our first renewable electricity generating community solar photovoltaic (PV) share offer in 2015. Since then our members have demonstrated their faith in us by investing £669,000. Their investment has funded seven solar PV installations totalling 389kWp, which have saved over 250 tons of carbon dioxide so far. We have also built one ground source heat pump.
These installations have brought clean, cheap energy to local community groups, saving them carbon and money. 221 local and national investors have joined a movement of ethical and financially rewarding community ownership which is being successfully replicated across the UK.
THE MAIDENERGY APPROACH
MaidEnergy is a renewable energy Society, created to tackle the climate crisis and support the growth of locally generated and locally owned renewable energy in Maidenhead, Windsor, Egham, Staines and the surrounding area. We are a community business, democratically run, with an asset lock to preserve the solar panels or other energy generation infrastructure for the benefit of the community.
MaidEnergy works by:
Structure
MaidEnergy is an independent community business, democratically run, with an asset lock in place. The Society is registered with and reports to the FCA (30926R). The solar installations are owned and managed by MaidEnergy.
MaidEnergy is a renewable energy Society, created to tackle the climate crisis and support the growth of locally generated and locally owned renewable energy in Maidenhead, Windsor, Egham, Staines and the surrounding area. We are a community business, democratically run, with an asset lock to preserve the solar panels or other energy generation infrastructure for the benefit of the community.
MaidEnergy works by:
- Finding community buildings that are interested in cutting carbon emissions
- Raising community finance from people in the local area and throughout the UK, through the issuing and managing of community share schemes, to fund installations
- Providing all relevant legal documents and arranging grid export capability
- Managing the installation and all ongoing maintenance
- Working with sites to maximize financial, environmental, and community benefit
Structure
MaidEnergy is an independent community business, democratically run, with an asset lock in place. The Society is registered with and reports to the FCA (30926R). The solar installations are owned and managed by MaidEnergy.
Directors
The rules of MaidEnergy stipulate the society shall have a Board of at least three Directors. The current Directors are:
Leah Robson (Co-Chair): A former management consultant, Leah is now the co-owner of the social enterprise Your Energy Your Way. In this role she takes charge of business development, customer service and project management of the business’ renewable energy projects, a specific focus area of the company is in providing opportunities for women in the Construction sector.
Richard Taylor (Co-Chair): Richard has spent over 20 years working in digital technology, including directorships in world class organisations in Pharmaceutical and Programme Management sectors.
He spent the early part of his career working with start-ups in various sectors, including health, finance and technology. He is currently CIO of a Biotech firm, Managing Director of his own consultancy and a volunteer for the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust.
Richard has invested in Solar since 2011 and has a keen interest in environmental issues, nature and consumer ethics.
Michael Beaven: Michael’s background is managing finances and fundraising for voluntary sector organisations, and he has been a Fellow Member of the Association of Accountancy Technicians (FMAAT) for 25 years. He is co-director of Our Community Enterprise CIC, a social enterprise which has helped to raise millions of pounds for the benefit of RBWM residents and other third sector and public organisations. Michael is a licenced Community Shares Practitioner.
The rules of MaidEnergy stipulate the society shall have a Board of at least three Directors. The current Directors are:
Leah Robson (Co-Chair): A former management consultant, Leah is now the co-owner of the social enterprise Your Energy Your Way. In this role she takes charge of business development, customer service and project management of the business’ renewable energy projects, a specific focus area of the company is in providing opportunities for women in the Construction sector.
Richard Taylor (Co-Chair): Richard has spent over 20 years working in digital technology, including directorships in world class organisations in Pharmaceutical and Programme Management sectors.
He spent the early part of his career working with start-ups in various sectors, including health, finance and technology. He is currently CIO of a Biotech firm, Managing Director of his own consultancy and a volunteer for the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust.
Richard has invested in Solar since 2011 and has a keen interest in environmental issues, nature and consumer ethics.
Michael Beaven: Michael’s background is managing finances and fundraising for voluntary sector organisations, and he has been a Fellow Member of the Association of Accountancy Technicians (FMAAT) for 25 years. He is co-director of Our Community Enterprise CIC, a social enterprise which has helped to raise millions of pounds for the benefit of RBWM residents and other third sector and public organisations. Michael is a licenced Community Shares Practitioner.
- Rachel Child : Rachel has been working in the climate change and renewable energy sectors for over 15 years. She has worked with project developers internationally to access finance from donor funds and the sale of carbon credits to develop clean energy projects. More recently, she worked for an energy storage start-up and is currently working with a UK-based fund investing in infrastructure in emerging economies, helping them align their portfolio to Paris Agreement commitments. She lives in Maidenhead and is keen to help develop further clean energyprojectslocally.
- Chris Gray: Chris trained as a Chartered Accountant and for 34 years worked for an American multi-national in a wide range of finance positions including both CFO and technical accounting roles across industries as varied as aircraft engines to wind turbines. His highest achievement was to stand at the top of an 85m high wind turbine on the coast of Norway! On ending full-time employment he studied for an MSc in Sustainability and Management at Royal Holloway. He now intends spending this next period of life involved in matters of conservation, social justice and environmental responsibility, providing financial experience plus enthusiasm to make a contribution to society.
- Nicola Davidson:Nicola has worked in the public and community development sector for over fifteen years; as co-director of Our Community Enterprise CIC and a member of the Institute of Fundraising, she leads on project development and fundraising. Nicola has a degree in Rural Resource Management and during the early part of her career worked in a number of technical roles within the Environment Agency including air, land and water pollution protection.
- Ben Niblett: Ben has been campaigning on climate change and international development with the charity Tearfund since 2005, leading a team of 20. He's also worked as an MP's researcher and a campaigner and fundraiser for Jubilee 2000, International Service and the RNIB. His most satisfying campaigns have been on the UK Climate Change Act, the Paris Agreement and the EU Transparency Directive. He chairs the Diocese of Guildford's environment group. He lives in Egham and got involved in MaidEnergy to tackle climate change locally.
- Sean Walters: Following a career path split between working in Mining and Oil exploration as a Surveyor and Commercial Aviation as an Airline Captain, Sean is well aware of the vagaries of commodity and energy prices. In semi-retirement he pursues a more sustainable lifestyle, and is keen to promote the connection between renewable energy, electric vehicles and electricity storage possibilities.
MaidEnergy
MaidEnergy is a Community Benefit Society, Reg 30926R.
