The Community Energy Revolution
Community energy currently accounts for less than 0.5% of the UK’s electricity generation. It could be twenty times more than this, but it is being blocked by outdated energy market regulations which favour a centralised supply model.
The heart of the problem is disproportionate costs. Becoming an electricity supplier involves set up and running costs of millions of pounds, no matter how large or small your operation. This effectively blocks community-scale suppliers from entering the market.
To solve the problem, Power for People has drafted the Local Electricity Bill and is campaigning for it to be made law. This would establish a ‘Right to Local Supply’ and proportion the costs of selling clean electricity to the scale of the local supplier’s operation. Many more community energy projects would become viable as a result.
With more of the profits from clean electricity circulating locally, there would be more investment in local services and facilities and this would create a powerful incentive to build more renewable energy infrastructure. Communities would thrive as they contribute meaningfully to the UK’s net zero transition.
This campaign is winnable, as evidenced by widespread parliamentary and public support. A cross-party group of over 260 MPs now support the Bill, along with an ever-growing coalition of national and local organisations. View the supportive MPs and coalition here.