Policy documents and consultations that may be of interest to community energy groups or that CEE is considering making a response to are included below (listed in date order of responses required). Draft responses will be added to this page for member comments along with our final submissions. If you would like to input to any of our responses, please email us.
You can view and download our previous consultation responses here.
Latest Consultation Opportunities
This consultation is seeking views on the revised energy National Policy Statements that support decisions on major energy infrastructure. The principal purpose of this consultation is to identify whether the revised energy National Policy Statements presented are fit for purpose i.e. whether they provide a suitable framework to support decision making for nationally significant energy infrastructure.
Areas of interest may include the draft NPSs for:
- Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3)
- Removal of onshore wind
- New section on pumped storage hydro
- New section providing guidance on solar PV - Electricity Networks Infrastructure (EN-5)
- Reflects the importance of connecting the new generation with flexible solutions, demand centres and ensuring the security of supply in increasingly complex systems.
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 29 November 2021
Phasing out the installation of fossil fuel heating systems in businesses and public buildings off the gas grid
This consultation sets out a proposed approach to deliver on the commitment to phase out the installation of new oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and coal heating systems in non-domestic buildings off the gas grid. Further evidence is sought on the proposals to:
- Use the natural replacement cycle to phase out oil, LPG or coal heating systems in
- businesses and public buildings off the gas grid.
- Take a heat pump first approach to the replacement of those fossil fuel systems.
- Allow the limited use of alternative low carbon systems, such as solid biomass, where a
- heat pump is not suitable.
- Introduce the policy using a phased approach with the largest buildings first (from 2024 at the earliest), followed by smaller buildings (from 2026).
- Consider whether it may be appropriate to end the use of fossil fuel heating in all non-domestic buildings off the gas grid, potentially in the 2040s.
This consultation was launched alongside the Heat and Buildings Strategy
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 12 January 2022
Phasing out the installation of fossil fuel heating in homes off the gas grid
This consultation seeks views on the government’s proposals to decarbonise heat in homes off the gas grid through targeted regulations, including:
- An end to the installation of fossil fuel heating in homes off the gas grid from 2026;
- A ‘heat pump first’ approach to replacement heating systems from 2026; and
- Requiring high performing replacement heating systems where heat pumps cannot
reasonably practicably be installed
This consultation was launched alongside the Heat and Buildings Strategy.
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 12 January 2022
Market-based mechanism for low carbon heat
This consultation seeks views on proposals to introduce a market-based mechanism to support the development of the UK market for low-carbon electric heat pumps, particularly focussing on a range of design features of the proposed mechanism, including:
- the proposed scope of technologies and installations
- the choice of core target for the mechanism
- options for trading within the mechanism
- options for scheme administration, penalties and enforcement
This consultation was launched alongside the Heat and Buildings Strategy
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 12 January 2022
Regional Consultations
Northern Power Grid is currently developing a new approach to digitalisation, and looking for your views and feedback, so they can shape their approach to data and digital services in ways that best suit the needs of community energy in our region.
Special user persona's have been set up, for anyone interested or involved in community energy called "Climate Change Advocate" - when asked, this is the option you should select.
Please look out for your DNO's consultation on their 'business plan' and feed in. These will form the basis of their investment in the distribution system from 2023-2028. If we want them to be investing to enable community energy (by, for instance, reinforcing the tail end of the system to enable more distributed generation) we must ask for it.