The Renewable Energy Association represents the UK’s renewable energy industry, covering all renewable sectors across power, heat, transport and renewable gas. The REA is a not-for-profit industry association, established in 2001. Since then it has grown rapidly to become the largest renewable industry body. It hosts the Solar Trade Association, creating a combined membership of over 960 members. The REA has a proven track-record of achieving breakthroughs in UK renewables policy and legislation, a ‘one member one vote’ ethos, a co-operative approach and a coherent perspective across the whole field of renewable energy.
Our members comprise a wide variety of organisations including generators, project developers, fuel producers and distributors, equipment producers and service providers. Members range in size from major multinationals to small installers.
If you wish to discuss our membership categories to ensure the best fit for your company our Membership Team are happy to speak with you. Contact them by email on membership@r-e-a.net or telephone us on 020 7925 3570.
How to join the REA
You can now apply for REA membership online – click here and follow the prompts, entering all relevant company information. Payment can be taken online by credit card or you can request an invoice to be sent by mail. Your REA membership will commence upon notification by the REA membership team, who will then send out all relevant joining information and Welcome Pack.
The benefits of membership and our activities
Policy development; The sheer quantity of new renewable energy policy means it can be almost impossible to keep on top of it all. REA policy specialists, who are often UK leaders in their field, provide advice to members on a daily basis to save them time and money. The REA’s various technology sector groups shape our work. For a brief introduction to these groups, please visit the member’s sector groups page.
The REA regularly lobbies Government, its departments, their agencies and Parliamentarians, through policy development and pro-active campaigns. The REA has also set up a Finance Group that will work closely with the REA’s technology and policy groups to ensure that our approach on policy takes account of prevailing and future financial markets. Categories of membership dictate how many sector groups members can join.
Securing action; We work collaboratively with Parliamentarians, NGOs, think tanks and others to secure political support at UK and EU level.
Communications; Every Wednesday, REA emails out a member-only newsletter, containing must know information, key diary dates, a table detailing the status of the various consultations we will or will not be responding to and events we are running, participating in or have secured a members’ discount for. This newsletter is very highly regarded. Members receive an individual listing on our website www.r-e-a.net and in our on-line Directory. Twice a year we publish “REA News”, a magazine crammed with news and topical articles, which is mailed to stakeholders, NGOs, MPs, REA members and is widely distributed at events. Members are offered discounted rates to advertise in the magazine.
Events; A number of set-piece events are organised throughout the year, including the celegrated annual British Renewable Energy Awards and Gala Dinner and our annual conference together with specific events and seminars highlighting key, topical areas of interest.
Training; We also run a programme of highly successful, tailored, training workshops, offering an in-depth, very detailed session on key policy areas such as; Renewables Obligation, Renewable Heat Incentive and Feed-in Tariffs.
Discounts to affiliated organisations;
The REA sponsors the REAL Assurance Scheme, which sets high standards for suppliers and installers of renewable and low carbon energy for consumers. The REAL Assurance mark is a symbol that consumers can look for to identify reputable businesses. www.realassurance.org.uk
REAL also runs the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme, an assurance scheme for the digestate standard, www.biofertiliser.org.uk and the Green Gas Certification Scheme www.greengas.org.uk, a means of contractually tracking biomethane from injection to final end use.
Membership with REAL Assurance is currently a requirement of MSC accreditation for installers. REA currently offer a special REA membership rate to REAL Assurance Scheme members with fewer than seven employees and an annual turnover of less than £500k.
The REA offers a special discount for National Farmers Union members. If you’re a farmer looking to be kept abreast of key renewables information and events; simply contact the NFU, obtain your special code and receive a 50% discount off the REA Corresponding fee category, prior to the commissioning of a renewable installation.
The REA hosts the Solar Trade Association. The STA is the leading voice for the solar industry in the UK. With over 450 corporate members it is by far the largest, most active and influential trade association in the sector. There is a discount of 45% for companies in both REA and STA membership. The STA is of particular relevance to any organisation with an interest in Solar PV or Solar Thermal, and particularly those involved in the design, manufacture, installation, maintenance or distribution.
A full list of STA fees and members benefits is available on the STA website at www.solar-trade.org.uk
