Built from the underground up: How SELCE’s Giovanna Speciale turned a tube journey into a solar force for good

2025-06-10

How did one book inspire a solar movement? In this episode of the Solar&StorageXtra podcast, guest host Ken Davies sits down with Giovanna Speciale, Founder and CEO of South East London Community Energy (SELCE). Giovanna explains how reading a heartbreaking book on a train in 2009 became the community-powered movement of today that’s transforming Southeast London’s energy future. As a community benefit society, SELCE now has half a megawatt of solar across 11 sites including schools, community centres, lei...

How did one book inspire a solar movement?

In this episode of the Solar&StorageXtra podcast, guest host Ken Davies sits down with Giovanna Speciale, Founder and CEO of South East London Community Energy (SELCE).

Giovanna explains how reading a heartbreaking book on a train in 2009 became the community-powered movement of today that’s transforming Southeast London’s energy future.

As a community benefit society, SELCE now has half a megawatt of solar across 11 sites including schools, community centres, leisure centres, and even a hotel – all benefiting the communities that use them.

Hear how SELCE is blending renewable energy, community investment, and social equity to reshape the local grid - one rooftop at a time.

Key Topics & Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction by Ken Davies

01:11 – How a tearful tube journey led to SELCE

06:30 - What is a community benefit society?

07:15 – Finding space for solar

09:16 – The current state of SELCE

10:42 – SELCE’s commercial rooftop solar

14:50 – Making passive customers engaged

17:00 – Addressing energy poverty

23:00 – Hope for the future

Credits: