According to the study, the total installed capacity of community-owned renewable energy projects has increased from 4MW in 2003 to approximately 60MW in 2013 and is likely to reach to 550MW by 2020.
Supported by renewable energy trade association RenewableUK, the study revealed that nearly two-thirds of communities reinvest, or keen to reinvest, their revenue from renewables in such new projects.
However, the study has also identified some barriers that hinder development of community-owned projects and proposed a match-making service to bring together interested community groups and project developers.
It urged the need for provision for community groups of improved access to funding, financial know-how and legal expertise and urged authorities to ensure a more positive attitude towards communities to make them participate in the projects.
Local authorities are required to be provided training related to the sector that will help them to take good decisions and invest council funds in clean energy projects, according to the study.
The report recommended a joint ownership approach to develop such projects; the approach sees communities working with developers, and /or local businesses and local authorities towards.
RenewableUK chief executive Maria McCaffery said that the report has underscored the need for development of community-owned projects using an economically feasible model.
"Using this socially and economically-inclusive model, we have an opportunity to redefine the relationship between communities and developers to unlock a significant growth in community energy, particularly in onshore wind.
"This will enable all of us to reap the economic and environmental benefits of wind energy at a truly local level," added McCaffery.
