/
Community energy
Energy Solutions That Work for the Whole Community.
A community with a shared energy system is a powerful thing. Communities can leverage their scale by turning solar and batteries into something people can share, govern, and benefit from together. The result is practical and can benefit all, with lower bills, greater resilience, and a stronger, more self-sufficient community.
/ The Opportunity
Energy Costs Hit Hardest Where Collective Action Matters Most.
A community has more options than any individual alone. Individuals need to have their own roof for solar, organise solar and batteries themselves, and must buy and sell from their retailer. At a community scale, that changes. Energy can be planned, generated, and managed as a shared system. This allows a community to build at the right size, run it more efficiently, and share the benefits more fairly across the group
Some of the communities we've worked with have reduced their utility bills by over 50%.
/ Is this right for you?
Will community energy benefit your community?
The economics are real, but not every project fits the bill. Community energy makes sense when a shared approach delivers more value than a collection of individual systems. Three of the most important considerations are:
Does your community have a site where energy can be shared?
Sharing electricity or heat across a community is much simpler if the distribution is owned by the community. This might be the power or hot/cold water distribution in a building or subdivision. For this reason, new developments are often the easiest place to start.
Community energy also needs a physical host. You need a suitable roof or ground space, a grid connection, and a building owner or trust willing to participate. If you have a site, the technical questions are usually straightforward. The more complex part is how it’s set up and run - who makes decisions, how costs are shared, and how the benefits (including savings) flow back to the community.
Is there an existing group, trust, iwi, body corporate or incorporated society that can govern the project?
Community energy projects need a decision-making structure. An incorporated society, charitable trust, community committee, or iwi authority is the natural starting point. If one doesn't exist, it can be established, but that adds time and coordination. The right structure depends on how you want to distribute benefits and who's contributing capital. Revolve helps communities work through the options before committing.
Will the community benefit?
Community energy projects work best when all parties are aligned and there is real long-term benefit for the community. This happens when the scheme is set up in the community's interests, with governance in place to keep it that way over time.
Trust can erode when a project is structured to return profit to a single investor without clear mechanisms for sharing benefits. It can also leave participants paying more than they would through a traditional utility.
/ Results
Real projects. Real outcomes.
These projects started with the same question you're asking now. Here's what happened when the answer was yes.
/ How We Help
From first conversation to community-owned power.
Community energy projects take longer than commercial installations, typically 6–18 months from first conversation to generating power. The extra time is spent getting the governance, funding, and community alignment right before the technical work begins. That front-end work is what makes the project sustainable. A system that's technically sound but structurally fragile doesn't serve the community well.
Explore the opportunity
Is community energy the right fit for your project? We help you understand the approaches, the benefits and what's realistic for your situation. There's no commitment, - just an upfront conversation about what's possible and what it takes to get there.
Qualify the benefits
We complete a techno-economic analysis to confirm the project stacks up. A Revolve engineer models energy demand, solar and battery sizing, network constraints, tariffs, and available revenue streams. They will translate the results into a clear business case with capital costs, operating costs, payback, and long-term savings for each stakeholder. This analysis helps the community choose an ownership model, secure funding, and set up governance based on numbers they can trust.
Design the solution
Revolve turns the analysis into a scheme the community can run. We confirm the ownership and benefit-sharing model, define the operating rules, then size the system and metering/settlement approach to match. The output is a buildable design and delivery plan the community can take to partners and funders.
Procure, partner & construct
Once the design is agreed, we help you line up the right delivery partners, procure the equipment and services, and manage the build through to commissioning. That includes a clear scope, a competitive process with trusted EPCs and suppliers, and support evaluating proposals. We also help with the contracting process and provide delivery oversight so responsibilities, timelines, and performance expectations stay aligned.
Operate and share the benefits
Revolve can act as an independent scheme manager. We can monitor performance, optimise battery dispatch, and provide transparent reporting so members can see what the system generates and what they save. As tariffs, operations, and revenue opportunities change, we update the operating strategy and keep governance informed with regular performance reporting. Where required, we can also implement our customer billing app so you can manage your own energy scheme.
/ FAQ
Questions About Community Energy?
What is community energy and how does it work?
Community energy means a group, a trust, a marae, a council, a housing association, sharing ownership or benefit from shared energy assets such as a distribution network, solar system, battery system, and/or central hot water plant. The system generates energy, and the benefits are distributed among participants based on an agreed structure. It works because there is scale, the investment is shared, the risk is spread, and the savings reach people who couldn't access solar individually. The technology is the same as any commercial project. The difference is in the structure around it.
Can a community energy scheme be set up for an existing community?
It is not always possible or practical to setup a community energy scheme for an existing community. For a subdivision, where the network is already owned by a lines company, it is generally not possible. For apartment buildings it is often possible, but will require buy in from the majority of the residents. Central hot water may not be practical where there is not already hot water distribution in place.
What are the benefits for a property developer?
Community energy helps property developers market a development with materially lower utility bills and better resilience. Shared solar, energy storage, coordinated demand and central hot water can in some cases be cost neutral. Reducing peak demand, and making better use of a single, well-designed connection can reduces grid connection capital costs, and development contributions. The result is a clearer buyer/tenant proposition and a development that stands out as future-ready.
How is a community energy scheme funded and what legal structure do we need?
There's no single model. Projects can be funded by residents or the property developer, or, be part of the financing for a new build. In some cases government funding may also be available. The right mix depends on your community's structure, the size of the project, and what you want to achieve.
It depends on your community and objectives. Many developments already have a suitable legal entity, such as an Incorporated Society or body corporate. The right structure depends on how you want to distribute benefits, who's contributing capital, and how decisions will be made over the life of the project. We help you work through the options alongside legal advisors.
Can renters and tenants benefit from community energy?
Yes. That's one of the most important things community energy does. Renters, social housing tenants, and people without their own roof can participate through shared systems. How savings are returned - whether through lower rent, direct credits, or dividends - depends on the ownership structure.Getting that structure right is the central design challenge, and it's where independent advice matters most.
How long does a community energy project take?
For a new build project, a community energy project would be delivered within the building construction timeline. It's important to include the scheme in the design from the start. Adding community energy features late in the design or during construction can lead to rework, extra cost, and delays. In some cases, it may mean the option is no longer viable. The physical build is usually the shortest phase. The front-end work, getting the community aligned, the structure established, and the funding secured, takes the most time. Moving quickly through that stage at the expense of alignment creates problems later.
