Bridport is home to our Energy Local Club, the first one in England.
We set up and delivered this pioneering arrangement utilising an existing 50kW wind turbine and enabling over 50 households to reduce their energy bills.
Energy Local Clubs are a pioneering initiative developed by the not-for-profit organisation Energy Local CIC. Energy Local Clubs enable trading of renewable energy between generators and consumers at a local level.
Energy Local Clubs allow households to club together to show that they are using local renewable power when it is being generated and to pay local generators a mutually beneficial price for that power.
Read more about how it works in our Information Pack.
About Energy Local Bridport
Energy Local Bridport was set up by Dorset Community Energy in 2019 as the first example in England of householders being able to purchase low-cost local renewable electricity generation using the existing grid. There was a delay at the beginning due to Covid, but the project has now been operating successfully for almost 5 years.
Electricity comes from a 50kW wind turbine in Salway Ash connected to the Bridport primary substation, with wind power supplied to members at 15p/kWh. We were supported by Energy Local CIC, who negotiated an innovative agreement with Octopus Energy combining locally priced winder power with lower cost off-peak grid electricity when wind generation is insufficient (Time of use Tariff: lower cost grid electricity at night when there is a surplus of electricity available). The ‘match’ price is cheaper than a normal electricity tariff but more than the generator would otherwise get, so everyone benefits.
Octopus ended support for Energy Local Clubs in March 2026. However, confidence in local electricity markets is steadily growing, with 100 Green now stepping to take over the supply arrangement. Around two-thirds of the club’s 58 members have made the switch to 100 green and remain on the Energy Local tariff.
Members currently pay about 20p/kWh for combined wind and grid electricity, compared with typical standard tariffs of around 25p/kWh — a saving of roughly 20%.
The Bridport Club covers the geographical area supplied by the Bridport local substation. This incorporates the whole of Bridport town and the surrounding area from Chideock to Shipton Gorge, West Bay to Pymore and parts of Salway Ash.
- Work on Energy Local Bridport began in December 2019, funded by development funding from the Power to Change Bright Ideas Fund.
- Since then Dorset Community Energy has been working closely with Peter Bailey and at Energy Local CIC to form the Club.
- This has included detailed modelling of the wind turbine output and domestic demand, creating the Energy Local Bridport Co-Operative and recruiting households from the Bridport area.
- The public response to the launch of Energy Local in January 2020 was overwhelming. Within 6 weeks of launching, enough households had registered to form a Club, with a considerable waiting list.
- Unfortunately, setting up the Club had to pause when COVID-19 struck. Smart meter installations stopped during the first lockdown and there were delays while crucial software was developed.
- By September 2021, a small pilot Club was up and running with 14 member households.
- As of 2026, 58 homes are part of Energy Local Bridport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get involved
The pilot Club is currently over-subscribed. However, by signing up below you can join the waiting list and receive notification when future Energy Local opportunities arise.