How the Midcounties Co-operative Is Putting Communities at the Heart of a Greener Future

As the world unites behind the 2025 Earth Day theme Our Power, Our Planet, The Midcounties Co-operative is demonstrating how the co-operative model can help lead the charge toward clean, community-powered energy being accessible to all.

In 2024, the Society launched a landmark partnership with the Big Solar Co-op, a fellow co-operative focused on installing solar panels across UK businesses and buildings. This partnership led to the installation of more than 300 solar panels across two of the Society’s sites: 141 panels at its Warwick Head Office and 162 panels at the Your Co-op Food store in Copthorne, Shropshire.

These installations will generate more than 100,000 kWh of renewable electricity annually and will save over 20 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions as part of the Society’s goal to cut emissions by 50% by 2027.

But, the Midcounties Co-operative’s sustainability ambitions are also powered by its partnership with Younity, the Society’s joint venture with Octopus Energy.

Through this, we are now supporting over 360 community energy projects, equivalent to over a third of the community energy sector, generating enough green electricity to power over 65,000 homes.

Younity has also launched its Community Energy Connect platform, linking volunteers to local energy initiatives with over 250 registrations, received the ‘Sector Support Award’ at the Community Energy England Awards, and brought its voice to the national stage at the Labour Party Conference.

This Earth Day, Midcounties is reaffirming its commitment to the planet and its communities — and showing how co-operative partnerships can scale sustainability.

The Society’s efforts in greening the grid with partners including the Big Solar Co-op and Younity has seen us nominated for the UK Green Business Awards in the ‘Retailer of the Year’ category.

Noel Lambert, Community & Content Lead at the Big Solar Co-op, commented:

“Our collaboration with The Midcounties Co-operative highlights what can be achieved when co-ops come together.

These solar installations are not only a step toward net zero – they are a testament to what’s possible when communities are empowered to lead the energy transition.”

Peter Westall, Chief Values Officer for The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “As a Society, we believe that meaningful climate action starts with community.

“That’s why we’re proud, in this landmark International Year of Cooperatives, to partner with like-minded organisations like the Big Solar Co-op and Younity, to turn co-operative values into practical solutions for a greener world and offer fairer access to green energy within our communities. Whether it’s installing solar panels on our own buildings or empowering others to join the community energy movement, we’re committed to building a cleaner, fairer energy future for all.”