Local Power Plan must go further in addressing energy poverty, researchers argue
The government鈥檚 Local Power Plan must go further in addressing energy poverty and upskilling communities, argues The University of 野狼社区鈥檚 People, Place and Energy Research Centre (PPERC).
Tackling the public鈥檚 energy concerns
Amidst growing climate change concerns and exposure to fossil fuel price shocks, local energy schemes are beneficial for engaging the public directly in an energy transition, encouraging community cohesion, bringing direct financial benefits to participants, and providing energy for more remote locations.
However, PPERC鈥檚 response, Putting Power in its Place, states that the government鈥檚 plan also provides a major opportunity to address issues of energy poverty.
鈥淲hat we argue for is genuinely community owned, democratic energy projects which provide both direct returns to those facing energy poverty and debt but also opportunities to develop skills and greater community cohesion,鈥� said Dr Gareth Fearn, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow and editor of the paper.
In practice this means more than simply allowing a local authority to take a slice of profits from a new generation site 鈥� it means actively providing advice, training and protected mechanisms for community owned energy.
Key recommendations听
Their听paper听outlines five practical recommendations听to听ensure听the听LPP听delivers on its full potential.听
- Bring听power to the people听by proactively听identifying听communities most in need, building mechanisms for democratic ownership, creating bespoke regulation, and ringfencing funding for engagement and participatory听energy听planning.
- Address energy poverty by embedding it as a key funding criterion,听targeting local schemes in areas with high energy debt, creating听a single UK听registry of community听energy organisations, and engaging with existing community groups.
- Develop skills through community power听and support job creation听by听creating a more inclusive,听better-targeted skills strategy听and integrating small and听medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises.
- Connect the LPP to other plans,听such as听aligning the Warm Homes Agency with Great British Energy (GBE)听Local, and听guiding听local authority planners on how to include community energy in local policy.
- Invest in the 鈥榦ne stop shop鈥� by ensuring energy and retrofit advice services have secure, long-term funding for delivery partners, creating a nationally听visible advice helpline, and听developing a comprehensive听business- and community-focused energy advice service.听
Creating local job opportunities听
PPERC鈥檚 research听suggests听that proactively working with communities leads to better energy planning.听Whilst community projects听can give more people a stake in the future of energy,听their听paper听suggests that the听full听benefits will only be听realised听if the LPP听ensures听clear, inclusive pathways into jobs听and听skills听for locals.听This includes addressing听any听structural barriers to pursuing training faced by marginalised groups.听
鈥淲e see the LPP, and the expanding role of Great British Energy at a local level, as a means of bringing a range of different people into the energy transition in both materially and socially beneficial ways,鈥� said听Dr听Fearn.听
Expanding local energy projects, alongside the national level, creates opportunities for people across the country to develop both the technical engineering and 鈥榮oft鈥� skills of planning and managing energy, new jobs, and space for small-to-medium enterprises to develop.
Looking to the future
Since the Local Power Plan was announced in February, the political context and global energy pressures have continued to shift, further emphasising the need to strengthen energy security and ensure the plan delivers lasting benefits for the communities most affected.
By establishing protected mechanisms for public and democratic ownership over the projects, PPERC argues, the LPP will be able to maximise the potential of community energy to deliver much-needed impact.
Publication details
The full response and recommendations, Putting Power in its Place: A PPERC response to the Local Power Plan, can be read .