Bath MP Wera Hobhouse has called for more to be done to ensure community energy is accessible to all, which will in turn create thousands of jobs.
During a debate on the Government’s Energy Security Strategy, Mrs Hobhouse, who is the Liberal Democrat Climate Change Spokesperson, stressed the importance of community energy in bringing people towards the target of net zero.
Wera previously supported the Local Electricity Bill, which would require the Government to enact a ‘Right to Local Supply’ so that households and businesses can become customers of local renewable energy companies.
Currently, customers can only purchase electricity from nationally licensed utility companies. This means that the money people pay towards their energy bills is not helping to strengthen local economies and build local clean energy infrastructure.
The Environmental Audit Committee has also found that a twenty-fold increase in community energy schemes could create almost 60,000 skilled jobs.
During the debate, Mrs Hobhouse cited the potential of community energy and stressed the importance of the role that it can play in the energy transition.
Wera Hobhouse MP commented after the debate: “In the past decade, community energy has seen little to no growth. It has increased by less than 0.5% of total UK electricity generation.
“Community energy brings people behind the need to get to net zero. We are going to face many disruptions in order to get to net zero by 2050, and bringing people on board is the most important thing we can do.
“Enabling and kick-starting the growth of community energy schemes would create a clear stream of jobs. In 2020, community energy groups had more than 3,000 volunteers and nearly 500 full-time staff. A twenty-fold increase would create nearly 60,000 skilled jobs.
“The existing energy strategy ignores the enormous potential for community energy to contribute to a more secure and resilient energy supply in the UK.
“The Government must include an enabling mechanism in the upcoming Energy Security Bill that will protect individuals, families and the environment at such an important time.
“The proposals are laid out in the Power for People’s Local Electricity Bill which has support from MPs across all parties.”
