The UK’s transition to clean energy is not happening fast enough – renewables provide just 12% of our energy. Meanwhile local economies need help to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Community run renewable energy offers huge potential to address both of these problems, yet accounts for less than 0.5% of UK electricity generation. Many communities across the country want to build renewable infrastructure and supply clean energy locally, but energy market rules block this.

We have drafted new legislation – the Local Electricity Bill – that would enable community renewable energy schemes, owned and run by local people, to sell their clean electricity locally. We are empowering thousands of people to advocate for their MPs to unleash community energy’s potential by supporting and promoting the Bill in Parliament. A cross-party group of 300 MPs support it already and well over half of Parliament – probably around 400 MPs – would ensure the Bill is enacted.