The Energy Security & Net Zero Select Committee wants written evidence submitted by 13 January as it opens a new inquiry into Unlocking community energy at scale.
Inviting evidence, the committee says community energy is “at the heart of the government’s ambitions for clean power by 2030 and will be central to the future role of Great British Energy through the Local Power Plan”.
Despite strong public support and the affordability of renewables, it says the UK community energy sector is small and has seen little growth over recent years. Its inquiry will consider the policy, market and regulatory reforms needed to support the sector.
The Committee is asking interested individuals and organisations to submit evidence on the following questions:

• How could the Local Power Plan to be produced by Great British Energy build upon existing community energy support schemes, such as the Community Energy Fund?
• How should the energy market and licensing regulations be reformed to enable community energy projects to sell the electricity that they generate to local customers, without the current barriers, and be properly remunerated for doing so? What lessons can be learnt from other jurisdictions?
• How could existing government support mechanisms, such as the Smart Export Guarantee, provide community energy projects with more financial certainty?
• What are the regulatory solutions needed to minimise the high costs and long delays incurred in securing a grid connection for community energy projects?
• Should the local benefits of community energy projects be formally recognised as a material consideration in planning decisions?
• What should be the role of Neighbourhood Plans and Local Area Energy Plans in building local support for community energy projects?
• What is the potential for community energy to incentivise consumer demand flexibility at the scale needed to achieve the UK’s net zero targets?
The Committee wants to identify potential solutions to financial and regulatory barriers facing community energy projects, assess potential reforms to the planning system, grid connections and the energy market, and consider the role of the Local Power Plan in supporting community energy.
Submit evidence here