Here is a record of the policy responses we have submitted and our position on subjects that are receiving the attention of legislators.
You can download any of these responses as a PDF from this page. For a .docx version, please email Josh at j.barnes@communityenergyengland.org.
Letter to the DESNZ Secretary of State urging he 'turbo-charge' community energy
We wrote to Grant Shapps on 8 March urging he take the advice in Chris Skidmore's Net Zero Review and turbo-charge community energy in his revised Net Zero Strategy due at the end of March. He failed to do this. See our chasing response on 17 April.
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CEE and others' response to the onshore wind planning consultation
The government's 'Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: reforms to national planning policy consultation' claimed to relax planning constraint that have effectively banned onshore wind in England since 2015. Unfortunately they will do little or nothing to increase installation of onshore wind, which is essential to achieving urgent and legally binding climate targets. Our response was co-signed by Power to Change, Plymouth Energy Community, en10ergy, Communities for Renewables CIC, Atlantic Energy Ltd, Bishop’s Castle Climate Action Group and the Othona Community.
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Joint letter from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on onshore wind
We signed this letter coordinated by Possible, along with at least 15 community energy colleagues, urging the government to open up onshore wind.
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CEE response to the BEIS consultation on the future of the CfD scheme
BEIS asked a series of specific questions about technologies which community energy is either not involved in or is excluded from by the CfD being only for projects greater than 5 MW. We took the opportunity to make policy proposals on a Community Energy CfD pot, a requirement for an offer of community ownership and community benefit for projects to be eligible for CfDs.
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CEE Spring Budget Representation
We made policy suggestions for the Budget on March 15 which included extend Social Investment Tax Relief beyond 2023, extend eligibility to community energy, fund a National Community Energy Fund and extend business rate reliefs and incentives to community energy.
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Joint letter to the Chancellor from energy trade associations
"The Spring Statement is a key moment for the Government to signal its intention to invest in and remove
barriers to investment across the sector." We are working with the trade associations to get a meeting with the Chancellor. We do not agree with all the asks in the letter.