London’s Hackney Council has announced plans to launch a publicly-owned energy services company in spring 2020. Called Hackney Light and Power, the new company will be owned, run, and managed by the local authority.

The company’s launch will include plans for a large-scale rooftop solar project, including London Fields Lido and the West Reservoir Leisure Centre, which it says will generate revenue for reinvestment in decarbonisation and public amenities for the benefit of all Hackney residents. It also promised a new, borough-wide home insulation programme at zero upfront cost to householders, to reduce fuel poverty, and a rapid expansion of electric vehicle charging points in the borough.

Announcin the launch Hackney council recalled tha in the 19th century, the local council – then called Shoreditch Vestry – created the Shoreditch Electric Light Network. It was the first municipal energy company to generate electricity from burning waste.