Our feasibility study showed that local energy (electricity) generation could be beneficial in increasing affordability. Local electricity generation could take the form of small or large arrays of solar panels on the roofs or suitable buildings such as commercial or farm buildings, all the way up to a wind turbine combined with solar panels and battery storage. Developing local energy generation in the Parish could be helpful in two ways.
- If the generation facility is part or wholly community owned, part of the surplus money generated from sale of the electricity can be reinvested in the Parish. For instance we could help people cut their energy bills by improving their home insulation, or we could improve or add to our community facilities.
- One way to provide benefit to locals from local energy generation is to set up a cooperative organisation that enables locals to buy the energy generated at reduced rates. One working example of this is the “Energy Local Co-op” (see https://energylocal.org.uk) which can link any new or existing local generation with local electricity consumers. Using energy in this way avoids some charges paid to the National Grid so that local generators receive a higher price for energy used locally, and consumers pay less when using electricity produced locally.
Community owned generation:
https://ambitioncommunityenergy.org
https://www.communitypowersolutions.org