Policy & campaigns
We inform politicians, national and local government officials, network operators & regulators, of community energy’s benefits, needs, opportunities and policy obstacles.
We ensure that community energy organisations can create and implement innovative new projects and play an active and important role in the transition to a fair, zero-carbon energy system.
But we can’t do it without help! We need you to continue to engage with your MPs as community energy champions, share your practitioner expertise to inform policy change and help us bring pressure to bear.
Featured update
Join our Up the Energy campaign
We want to unleash the power of community energy and we’ve delivered our asks to Government. Now it’s time to spread the word – join the movement today.
Featured News
20 Nov 2025
Kate Gilmartin’s keynote speech at the Community Energy Awards 2025
Kate’s speech set the campaigning agenda for CEE to ensure community energy is central and indispensable to the radical energy transformation over the coming years.
Policy priorities
We make sure decision makers know what the community energy sector needs in order to thrive. You can read more about our proposals for funding, growth, routes to market, shared ownership, grid connections, capacity building and other supporting policies on our policy priorities page.
Shared Ownership and Community Batteries each now have their own page as key priority areas.
Current consultations
CEE regularly responds to consultations to promote a policy environment that will enable the sector to thrive. We often encourage members to input into our consultation responses or to submit their own.
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DfE Market Engagement on draft standardised PPA
Department of Education
Deadline:
The Department for Education has published a DRAFT for Market Engagement of the standardised Power Purchase Agreement for solar on schools that will have to be used once permitting for school solar project resumes in the Autumn. The standardised lease will be published soon.
CEE has created a shared document of the draft PPA to aid access and enable members to think and respond collaboratively about it. We encourage you to comment and share your thoughts there.
The Department is looking for feedback to improve the PPA via this questionnaire. DfE Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Market Engagement Questionnaire – Fill in form
For background: DfE webinar presentation and DfE summary of the webinar including Q&A from p9.
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Supporting innovation in the electricity retail market
Ofgem
Deadline:
Ofgem is seeking views on exempting small suppliers from the Universal Service Obligation (USO). This consultation seeks views on a proposal to exempt electricity suppliers with fewer than 50,000 domestic customers from the Universal Service Obligation (USO).
Under the proposal, these suppliers would not be required to offer supply to all domestic consumers until they reach the threshold, at which point the USO would apply.
Policy responses
The policy responses we have submitted and our position on subjects that are receiving the attention of legislators
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CEE Budget Representation [October 2025]
CEE submitted a representation to the Treasury ahead of the Autumn Budget. We made the case for prioritising capital and development funding for community-led initiatives instead of directly funding local energy projects without community involvement.
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Consumer-led Flexibility Consultation Response [September 2025]
CEE argued that community energy should be supported to be at the heart of engaging citizens to participate in flexibility
Working groups
Energy Efficiency
The group provides thought leadership, knowledge-sharing and best practice, helping to drive funding and resources to the sector and shape our advocacy to government.
Low Carbon Heat
A forum for people to share knowledge, technical solutions, financial models and engagement methods for community heat projects.
Ethical Sourcing
Forced labour within solar supply chains is a serious issue for the net zero transition. This group aims to source reliable information for members and to campaign for ethical sourcing across the solar sector.
Experienced Practitioners
This limited membership group provides a space to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with running larger community energy organisations.
Campaign tools
Help community energy to thrive
Our members are key to our advocacy. You know what you need, you have the expertise as practitioners, and you each have democratic representatives we can call upon.
Contact your MP
Adapt our sample letter and tag your MP on social media. The more MPs hear about the work community energy does in their local area, the more political support for the sector will grow.
Make your MP a community energy champion
MPs only respond to people and projects in their constituencies. So we are asking community energy practitioners and organisations to connect with and make an ally of your MP.
Organise a site visit
Use our guide to get local MPs, councillors and other decision makers to visit your organisation’s projects and help create more influential community energy champions.