In this second session of its inquiry into community energy, the
Committee will question local energy suppliers and energy major
OVO on making community energy financially viable and unlocking
local energy supply. The Committee will be looking at how we
could maximise the electricity generation potential of rooftop
solar - including market reforms that would allow communities to
sell surplus energy to the grid and make their renewable energy
projects financially viable too.
Community energy projects like solar rooftop installations, a
community buying its own wind turbine and even local hydro-power
in hilly regions have the potential to power homes and
businesses, reduce bills and generate money for the community.
Buildings such as community centres, churches and warehouses may
have prime rooftops for solar panels but may not need all the
power they could produce. As the technology develops, solar
panels are becoming more efficient. Government has acknowledged
that local schools and hospitals with rooftop solar could
potentially sell leftover energy back to the grid.
But a host of regulations and contracts to navigate, from local
authority procurement and power purchase agreements to detailed
industry codes, the local and national potential of community
energy is going untapped. Many community energy groups wish
to sell their renewable electricity to local customers, under
current market rules this is not possible without complex
workarounds.
The public supports solar and there is growing recognition of the
relative affordability of renewables. But it is still difficult
for community energy groups – largely volunteer led – to access
stable revenues and finance new projects by selling to the grid.
On Wednesday April
2nd at 3pm:
- Alistair Macpherson, Chief Executive Officer at Plymouth
Energy Community
- Pete Capener MBE, Interim Chair at Community Energy
England
- Afsheen Kabir Rashid MBE, Chief Executive Officer and
Co-Founder at Repowering London
From 4pm:
- Steve Shaw, Director at Power for People
- Dr Mary Gillie, Founder and Director at Energy Local
- Benedict Ferguson, Co-Executive Director at Community Energy
Wales/Ynni Cymunedol Cymru
- Stephen Harris, VP of Energy Markets and Optimisation at OVO
Energy
