At the time that HEI came into being there were few solar panels to be seen in Harbury, little positive discussion of carbon reduction, nowhere obvious to go for advice, and a general feeling that climate change was perhaps a politically inspired myth and any individual effort was insignificant in delivering any worthwhile benefit to the planet. Villagers talked about wind turbines and electricity generation from other sources than the grid but in terms of some remote technological wonder beyond their means and their reality. Something needed to happen to change this inertia and that something was HEI, which came into being in January 2010.

HFE plans to continue building on the past successes of HEI in improving the energy efficiency of our community buildings and providing help to residents in cutting carbon and thereby their energy costs. Our recent acquisition of a thermal imaging camera with a grant from Heart of England Community Foundation is a step towards this. At the same time we are looking to take on bigger challenges and more ambitious projects following on from the Harbury Future Energy project that will install an electric vehicle charging station part powered by renewables in the village. HFE will continue to take a lead role in the Low Carbon Warwickshire Network established by HEI in 2019.