Community energy refers to energy projects that are wholly or partially owned and controlled by local communities. The projects can span generation – usually renewable or low carbon – or demand reduction such as energy efficiency.
Commons Library briefing paper - Community Energy (2 MB , PDF)
According to Community Energy England, by 2020 there were 424 community energy organisations across the UK, with 319 MW of total installed capacity. Community energy can offer benefits to local communities as well as to wider decarbonisation goals. For example, Community Energy England state that to date, community projects have saved £2.9 million through reduced energy bills.
The Government has policies to support energy, including at the local level. These include the Smart Export Guarantee, the Renewable Heat Incentive, and the Local Energy Programme. The latter has provided £22 million of funding to date which has included support for the develop of energy strategies for local areas. The Government does not have a current strategy specifically targeted to community energy; in a recent letter to the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), the Government said that the Net Zero Strategy, expected later this year, will set out policy on community energy.
The letter was in response to the EAC’s 2021 inquiry into community energy. The Committee found that though the sector grew from 2014-2017, growth has now stopped, and the UK is falling some European countries.
Several suggestions have been made to encourage community energy. The EAC recommended the Government engage the public, provide financial support, and remove regulatory barriers. With regards to regulation, a Local Electricity Bill was introduced in both the 2017-19 and 19-20 Parliamentary Sessions seeking to facilitate community groups who wish to sell the electricity they produce to local customers.
Commons Library briefing paper - Community Energy (2 MB , PDF)
This briefing on the COP26 climate change conference to be held in Glasgow in November 2021 covers the work of the UK and president designate, Alok Sharma in the lead up COP26. It also covers the priorities set out for the conference together with progress to date on these.
A debate on Global Britain, human rights and climate change is scheduled to take place in Westminster Hall on Tuesday 7 September 2021, from 4:30-5:30pm. The debate will be opened by Hywel Williams MP.
Spot oil prices were around $75 per barrel in early July 2021. They crashed after the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown led to a dramatic cut in demand. Prices fell from almost $70 a barrel in early January to below $20 per barrel in late April 2020. Oil prices peaked in July 2008 at almost $150 per barrel and were in the $100-125 range for much of 2011 to early 2014.
