Yesterday, Energy Minister Greg Barker announced that as part of the ongoing Feed-in Tariff review, the Government would consider what more could be done to enable genuine community energy projects to reap the benefits. The second of the two consultations on the Feed-in-Tariff will now explore the opportunities for a definition of a ‘community scheme’, which could ensure that local groups, small co-operatives and community-owned assets are delivered from further costs.
Communities that are taking control of their own energy provision can cultivate huge behavioural shifts, create return on initial investment and deliver particular social value. ResPublica welcomes in particular the beneficial outcomes highlighted by Good Energy, and the ‘community benefit’ proposals forwarded by Empower Community and others, who have sought to draw this to the Government's attention.
As part of our 'New Economies, Innovative Markets' workstream, ResPublica will be consulting on this agenda in the coming few weeks, outlining how DECC can encourage the emergence of new market entrants, who can deliver alternative and community-owned energy solutions.
The project will examine ways in which individuals, small businesses and communities have delivered alternative forms of energy for social prosperity and market access. It will identify and explore related costs and benefits and set out how upcoming energy reforms can best contribute to a ‘community energy’ market. We will explore the many hidden benefits for consumers of a very different approach to local power generation and what this could mean for communities across the UK.
For further information, please contact Caroline Julian, caroline.julian@respublica.org.uk