James Naish MP has welcomed the government’s announcement about investing £1 billion in community energy projects across the UK, creating opportunities for communities in Rushcliffe to own and control local energy initiatives.
Community energy involves citizens owning or participating in the production of energy, often through local projects involving shared wind turbines, solar panels or battery storage. Community energy projects seek to foster a sense of corporate ownership by promoting local energy security and reinvesting profits in communities.
The government’s Local Power Plan, published on 09 February, represents the largest public investment in community energy in British history, giving local communities a stake in the places they live. Through a new partnership with Great British Energy, communities will be able to access funding, expert advice and a ‘one-stop shop’ for building clean energy projects in their town or village. This initiative aims to put energy production in the hands of local people, rather than large energy companies which have historically generated and distributed energy.
Communities up and down the country could benefit from the Local Power Plan, although some communities – such as Bunny in Rushcliffe – have already formed committees which are actively looking at local energy generation.
John Berridge, on behalf of Bunny Energy Solutions Committee, said: “Bunny Energy Solutions Committee has been working for more than four years on behalf of Bunny Parish Council. This Community Energy announcement is a huge step forward for us and is entirely in line with our ‘Villages Net-Zero’ ambition. We would hope to access the expertise and hopefully we will have something to contribute too.”
Commenting on the announcement, James Naish MP said: “Having worked in the energy industry for several years before entering parliament, I know how frustrating our centralised energy system can be for individuals and community groups looking to do the right thing by contributing to the nation’s energy needs. This is a much-needed, exciting Plan that creates opportunities for enterprising communities across Rushcliffe.
“The government is putting power back in the hands of ordinary people to make decisions about nearby energy projects. We shouldn’t leave energy generation to rich landowners and energy companies; it would be much better for profits from energy generation to flow back into local areas, to the benefit of local people.”
