1 year ago
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The campaign ‘Power for People’ has described Wera Hobhouse’s tabled amendment to the government’s Great British Energy Bill as an ‘another exciting opportunity to unlock the huge potential of community energy’, and has called on supporters to lobby their Members of Parliament to back the amendment.
The amendment to Clause 3 of the Bill provides for the new Great British Energy agency that will be established by the new Labour Government and headquartered in Aberdeen to engage in ‘(e)measures to increase low carbon and renewable energy schemes owned, or part owned, by community organisations.’
In support of the amendment as sponsors are MPs from the Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru, and Scottish Nationalist Parties.
Although the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband MP, recently said: “British Energy will deliver a step change in investment in local and community energy projects, putting local authorities and communities at the heart of the energy transition”, as it stands the Great British Energy Bill makes no reference to community energy.
The Nuclear Free Local Authorities are strong supporters of community energy and the ‘Power for People’ campaign, and we were delighted when Director Steve Shaw addressed one of our meetings.
There is the need for some alacrity in calling on MPs to back the amendment as the next reading of the Great British Energy Bill is expected on Thursday 10 October.
Ends://For more information, contact NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk
Note for Editors
‘Power for People’ have also published this useful online article:
The wording of Wera Hobhouse’s amendment to Clause 3 of the Great British Energy Bill can be found at:
https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3738/stages/18955/amendments/10015171
