Utilise Plus Event Report: Business Networking Breakfast in Croydon

Delegates made their way to Sussex Innovation Croydon on a sunny October morning for a Business Networking Breakfast. This event was part of the Sustainable Business Partnership CIC’s ongoing Utilise Plus programme, which helps SMEs save energy and reduce their costs with grants, energy audits, and a variety of events.

The SBP CIC’s Jack Dale introduced the event, providing an overview of Utilise Plus, before handing over to the expert speakers. This breakfast was on the theme of ‘community energy,’ with Syed Ahmed of Energy for London first up. Syed explained that London’s annual energy bill is over £3 billion a year, with around 90% of this going towards importing gas and electricity. In 2015, Community Energy groups started to form in London, in an effort to save local communities money and promote cleaner, greener sources of energy.

Next up was Agamemnon Otero of Repowering London. Repowering’s vision is to “create resilient, empowered communities that control and own the generation and usage of renewable energy.” Agamemnon explained that this is achieved by mobilising local communities and crowdfunding projects which are then installed on blocks of flats in large estates. Repowering is committed to giving residents a fair share of the energy produced from these community energy installations, ensuring they’re engaged with projects from their inception.

The session ended with networking over coffee and pastries. Delegates enjoyed the event, with Mindy Vehviläinen of The Monarch Partnership describing it as “informative” and praising the “lively discussions,” while James Moore of The Green Light Company commented that it was “really useful to meet with likeminded people.”

This event was fully-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). At the Sustainable Business Partnership CIC, we’re always keen to hear from knowledgeable speakers, enthusiastic event partners, and interesting venues. If you’d like to work with us then please get in touch.