Harborough Energy are actively supporting the recommendations to government on community energy.
Harborough Energy were delighted to add our name to the joint letter from organisations in support of the Environmental Audit Committee’s recommendations to the UK government on removing the barriers to community energy.
We recently joined 65 other signatories from national organisations engaged in the urgent move to sustainable energy and community owned energy groups like us busy making it happen locally.
Our joint letter supports the Environmental Audit Committee’s Letter to the government on ‘Removing the barriers to the development of community energy’.
We support all its recommendations – first and foremost that the importance of community energy be recognised in the Government’s Net Zero Strategy and in practical (and financial) support measures, that must be provided for in the Comprehensive Spending Review, to harness the potential of community energy.
Community energy is essential to getting the buy in and active participation of the wider public, without which, as the Climate Change Committee has repeatedly warned, “It will not be possible to get close to meeting a net-zero target.” The Climate Assembly UK report to the government highlighted “informing and educating everyone”, “fairness within the UK, including for the most vulnerable” and “local community engagement” as prioritised principles to underpin the path to net zero. Community energy can be a key ally to the Government here. It can deliver significantly greater social and community benefits than purely commercial interventions, ensuring people and communities are not left behind.
Community energy is essential to realising a just transition and harnessing local opportunities and synergies that otherwise would not happen.
Harborough Energy designed, raised funds and operate 170kW of community owned solar PV in the Harborough area and are actively developing new projects to allow further local projects to reduce CO2 and help tackle fuel poverty.
The full details of our joint letter including all the signatories can be found here.