A symbol of the UK’s industrial past is helping build a sustainable future, as Kent’s treasured heritage railway, known for its coal-powered engines, starts to embrace solar thanks to a new £400,000 community share offer, now live on the UK’s impact investing platform, Ethex.
Launching tomorrow, Tuesday 12th August, the Community Share Offer from Kent Community Energy (KCE) invites people from around the UK to invest in a portfolio of new rooftop solar projects across Kent, cutting carbon emissions, reducing bills, and empowering communities to play a part in their clean energy future while delivering tangible environmental and social impact.
The time–limited share offer aims to raise £400,000 to fund solar installations at care centres, community halls, colleges, and notably at the heritage Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch railway, where, close to its 100 year anniversary, the iconic steam-powered site is switching to solar to power its buildings.
Investments in the offer start at just £100, with a target return of 6% per annum, making it an accessible way for people to back meaningful climate action with real community impact.
Solar with purpose: from railways to care homes
From care homes and community halls to colleges and even a heritage coal-powered railway transitioning to solar, KCE is literally putting the power into the hands of the community.
If the share offer’s full £400,000 target is reached, it will unlock a portfolio of rooftop solar installations across Kent. The projects will:
- Install 400 kW of solar capacity across vital community spaces.
- Cut energy bills by around 25% for participating organisations.
- Prevent 150 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year—equivalent to the footprint of 30 UK households.
- Increase money given back to local community groups to £80,000 annually by 2028 to tackle energy poverty, promote low-carbon energy, and protect biodiversity.
Investments will support a pipeline of impactful community-owned solar projects that are already in progress, including:
- A dementia care centre in Tenterden, installing solar and battery storage to ensure affordable, stable power for vulnerable service users.
- A mental health charity in Maidstone, using solar to power a café and therapeutic garden.
- A coal-powered miniature railway in Romney, now shifting to solar—proving that even heritage sites can innovate on the journey to net zero.
- A library and Age UK building owned by Hythe Town Council, helping local residents get access to information and support in greener environments while freeing up budgets for books and computers.
- The Beltinge village community hall is creating a beacon of sustainability in a small rural community through solar power.
Why now? The case for people-powered energy
As the UK faces the triple crises of climate change, cost of living and energy insecurity, the need for community-owned renewable energy has never been greater.
Kent, frequently the UK’s sunniest county, is also one of the most climate-vulnerable and energy-stressed regions. KCE’s vision is to harness the region’s solar potential not to generate more profit for energy giants, but for the direct benefit of its 1.57 million residents and anyone across the UK who wants to be part of a clean energy transition.
By investing this summer, supporters can help bring solar power into the hands of the people and reclaim control over energy generation and ownership, ensuring that the financial, environmental and social returns flow back to local communities and creating a greener legacy for future generations.
A trusted track record
Kent Community Energy has already proven it can create a positive impact:
- 35 million kWh of clean electricity generated via its existing 5MW solar farm, enough to power 1,700 homes every year.
- 9,000 tonnes of CO₂ saved to date.
- £40,000 in community grants awarded to local green initiatives, with investors. By 2028, the ambition is that there will be £80,000 a year in grants, all staying in Kent.
Through this new share offer, KCE is scaling up its ambition, demonstrating how renewables can support our just climate goals and benefit care services, education, heritage, and wellbeing.
Join the movement: Invest in a cleaner, fairer energy future
This is a limited-time opportunity to invest in a project that delivers clear environmental impact, long-term financial returns, and real community benefit. Investors become members of Kent Community Energy and have a say in the direction of the organisation, truly putting clean energy in the hands of many, not the few.
It’s a step change in scale and proof that solar energy can support not only the environment but also care services, education, heritage and community wellbeing.
The KCE Share Offer will launch on Ethex.org.uk on Tuesday 12th August and will close on either the 31st October 2025 or as soon as it is fully funded to its maximum raise.
Early investment will help unlock installations this summer and maximise impact.
For press enquiries, interviews, images, videos or case studies, please contact:
julie@ethex.org.uk
About Kent Community Energy:
Kent Community Energy is a not-for-profit community benefit society that develops, owns and operates renewable energy projects to deliver long-term community, environmental and economic benefits in Kent and beyond.
About Ethex:
Ethex is a UK based leading ethical investment platform, making it easy for people to invest directly in businesses and organisations that align with their values and deliver positive social and environmental impact.
