Build a Business with Environmental Purpose

Join us for an evening of informative and inspiring presentations on starting and building a community business focused on environmental issues and sustainability. We all understand the importance of this topic, and there are numerous ways various types of businesses—both community-oriented and commercial—can operate within this theme. Examples include community energy schemes, recycling companies, and charities working on community gardens and wildlife conservation projects.

Learn how David Mason and his colleagues established the Dane Valley Community Energy scheme. This not-for-profit mutual society was created to build and operate a hydroelectricity generation project at Havannah Weir, located north of Congleton in Cheshire. The project aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by generating enough electricity to power 60 homes. Additionally, it runs a Community Benefit Fund to explore environmental sustainability, mainly related to core STEM subjects. David will share how the project began, how they utilized their personal engineering skills to develop the necessary technology, and the challenges the team faced, along with factors contributing to its success. He will also discuss plans to expand the project with solar energy.

While this subject may sound technical and the project is impressive, don’t be discouraged if your idea feels smaller or is not directly linked to technology. David's insights will be inspirational and applicable to all kinds of businesses. Ultimately, it’s about people coming together to create positive change in their community.

Engage in discussions with all the support you might need to get your ideas off the ground or to move an existing project forward and network with fellow like-minded people : 

• Support Staffordshire
• Keele University Climate Ambassadors, 
• Staffordshire County Council Start-up Hub, 
• Staffordshire Green Network, 
• Sustainable Business & Environment Network