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Diverse communities are often considered to be more stable and productive. To mitigate and adapt to climate change and overcome energy insecurities, international, national and local communities need decentralised alternatives to complement and support traditional centralised energy systems. Policies with top-down targets promote the quick fix rather than the most sustainable scheme, and institutional and social barriers inhibit the local action needed to identify, plan and deliver the most valuable and appropriate alternatives. For diversity and sustainability, how can local community-based renewable energy (CRE) schemes be valuable and appropriate alternatives? Interviews and case studies with public, private and community-based stakeholders in the Lake District National Park reveal the drivers, enablers and barriers to CRE schemes. Two solutions designed to catalyse and coordinate local action are proposed: CRE plans and champions. Together from the bottom-up, they help to generate, coordinate and communicate the necessary local knowledge, resources and trust to promote positive data sets on energy capacity, opportunity and need. Thus, planning becomes suitably strategic for achieving sustainable energy futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]