Luminous Photography is a Photographer in Berkshire who was asked to cover 'The Big Energy Idea' that supports ambitious energy entrepreneurs, giving them business support, powerful connections and the potential to secure a minimum of £50k investment from Ignite to deliver social impact at scale.  

At the inaugural event held at Centrica’s head offices in Windsor, on 29 and 30 April 2014, the successful Big Energy Ideas were selected. The 10 entrepreneurs will now work with an expert team from the energy sector to raise investment in their ventures in order to grow their companies and scale the social impact of their work  

More images from the event can be found here

The 10 final Big Energy ideas are:

Brackenburn: Based in the South West, Brackenburn has created new technology that enables the use of locally harvested brack to produce briquettes for wood burning stoves.

Co-Wheels: Based in North East, UK wide, Co-Wheels is the first registered social enterprise that focuses on making personal mobility accessible for lower income communities while reducing car use.

Energy Box: Based in Soho, Energy Box will deliver a £100 per year cost of energy reduction per household in fuel poverty while employing people from the same communities to manage and maintain the system.

Energise London: In four of London’s 33 boroughs, Energise London operate free energy savings advice helplines and train employees to recognise and address fuel poverty.

Energy Solutions Malvern: Based in West Midlands, Energy Solutions Malvern provide renewable energy installations to customers who enjoy return on investments and environmental benefits from a reduction in their carbon footprint.

Gower Power: Based in Wales, Gower Power will build solar farms, providing green electricity for households and a local school. Using the Feed In Tariff income they will grow affordable, local produced food on the farm owned as part of the Co-op structure.

GrowUp Urban Farms: Based in London, GrowUp Urban Farms will create urban farms that use sustainable technology to grow food for local communities that lack open spaces in a way that is energy efficient.

Health Squared: Based in North Yorkshire, Health Squared sell wood briquettes as a commercial venture for public good. Working with local health partners, their public good is providing renewable energy to all customers and free briquettes to targeted older peopel to keep them warm.

Rekindling: Based in London, Rekindling will support the rehabilitation of offenders by making what would otherwise have been waste wood into bags of firewood and kindling which will be sold commercially.

Sust-It: Based in the South West, Sust-It is a customer focused energy use comparison and advice website that assists low income individuals and improve energy literacy.

All the entrepreneurs took part in masterclasses and motivational coaching during the two day event that will benefit them in moving their business models forward. 

Congratulations to all the companies who made it to the event as there were some fantastic social enterprise idea. And to the winners, good luck in the continuing process to achieve funding

Tom