Brae Rural Energy Hub secures significant funding, boosting its community impact

More than £100,000 has been granted to the Brae Rural Energy Hub Community Interest Company to help fund staffing costs until October 2029 - allowing them to offer more energy-saving advice. The money from the Viking Community Fund will go towards staffing the new Energy Hub from November this year.

Hub directors are thrilled with the grant of £114,349, which will help ensure the new project in Brae provides comprehensive support to the community in reducing energy costs and carbon emissions.

Located within the Brae Youth & Community Centre, the Brae Rural Energy Hub is a pioneering initiative that will serve as a low-carbon demonstration building. It will offer a range of services, including co-working spaces, electric vehicle charging stations, e-bike rentals, and an energy advice service. The Hub aims to inspire and support a climate-conscious community in Shetland by making decarbonisation easier, more affordable, and an integral part of everyday life.

This funding is a crucial step forward for the Hub, as it will allow staff to coordinate events, empower residents to reduce their carbon footprint, and provide daily support for facilities such as bike rentals and energy efficiency information. The presence of dedicated staff will significantly enhance the community’s ability to engage with the Hub’s services, fostering a sense of community among local professionals and residents.

Eleanor Gear, Shetland Community Benefit Fund Manager, expressed her support for the project:

“SCBF are very pleased that the Viking Community Fund has been able to support the Brae Rural Energy Hub with a four-year grant towards staffing costs from November 2025. The project is an excellent fit with our strategic fund priorities and will allow the local community to access advice and support across a range of services. We wish the Hub every success as renovations continue at the Brae Youth and Community Centre and look forward to the opening later this year.”

This news comes as the Hub prepares for its opening in Summer 2025, and is undergoing significant renovations, including insulation upgrades that will transform the space into a warm and energy-efficient facility, creating a welcoming environment for the community. Director recruitment applications are now closed, and the Hub is eagerly awaiting the announcement of new appointments soon, which will further enhance its leadership and community engagement.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive this significant funding from the Viking Community Fund,” said Jade Wilson, Engagement and Development Officer at the Brae Rural Energy Hub. “We are so excited about the future of the Hub and seeing how our services can benefit the community. With this support, we’ll be able to host more events like our upcoming Bike Day in May, which will bring together local organisations and residents to promote sustainable transport. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to make a real difference in people’s lives and help them live more sustainably.”

The feasibility study to develop the Rural Energy Hubs concept and the current project to refit of the BYC building and set-up of the Brae Rural Energy Hub is part of the larger Rural Energy Hubs project, which is funded by Innovate UK through its Net Zero Living Programme. The programme is supporting innovative approaches to overcoming non-technical barriers to decarbonisation. That project brings together expertise from project partners Shetland Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council, Aquatera Ltd, the European Marine Energy Centre, and Community Energy Scotland. The Innovate UK project started 1 February 2024 and runs to 31 October 2025. The funding from the Viking Community Fund will support a new four-year project starting on 1 November 2025. This aims to demonstrate the operation of the Brae Rural Energy Hub, as a model for decarbonisation in rural communities that can be replicated elsewhere in Shetland and further afield.

For more information about the Brae Rural Energy Hub or to get involved, please contact Jade Wilson at jade.wilson@aquatera.co.uk or reach out via Hub’s Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram social media channels.