Category: Environment

Power for People – January Update

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On the Monday before Christmas, we made another stride forward in our campaign to create dramatic growth in community renewable energy generation.

This time the setting was the House of Lords, where our two amendments to the Government’s Energy Bill were debated. To recap, these amendments are based on our Local Electricity Bill, which would enable community energy schemes to sell their clean power to local people, thus triggering a surge in community renewable energy generation.

We likely have enough support in the House of Lords to win a vote on our two amendments at the next stage of the Energy Bill, which will probably be in early February.

If this happens, it would mean that the Energy Bill would come to the House of Commons, probably around March, with our community energy enabling powers contained in it. And with all opposition parties and 125 Conservative MPs lined up in support because of our nationwide public campaign, we are in a strong position to see what we are calling for ultimately pass into law.

After a much-needed bit of Christmas rest, we are now working to bring Ministers and Whitehall officials to the negotiating table.

Thank you very much for your invaluable support. It will likely get tougher from here on out. We have come this far largely because ever more people have lobbied their MP. So we need to keep building our numbers.

Over 300 MPs are already supportive, but more are needed. Could you please join us in signing up to the campaign and writing to your MP?:

https://powerforpeople.org.uk/sign-up

Power for People – December 2022 Update

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Exciting news! – The Government’s Energy Bill has been revived and is now back in the House of Lords.

This means that the amendments that we had tabled to it, intended to unlock community energy across the UK, are back as well.

The amendments proposed would provide small-scale renewable energy generators with a guaranteed price for their electricity and allow them to sell that electricity locally. You can read more about them on our blog by clicking here.

Power for People have devised two amendments to the Government’s Energy Bill for consideration at Committee Stage (which commenced on 5th September). They take forward the ideas of the Local Electricity Bill, backed by 311 MPs of all major parties.

The amendments were tabled by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green) alongside Baroness Boycott (Crossbench), Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat) and Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour). Combined we believe they would go a long way in realising community energy’s huge potential.

We encourage Peers to please vote in favour.

 

Power for People Update November 2022

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Local engagement in this campaign has really been such a game changer. It is so important to have supporters from the grassroots pushing this Bill to the top of the political tray.

That was Wera Hobhouse MP at our first community energy event in Parliament last week.

Ms Hobhouse sat on a panel with Hilary Benn MP, David Johnston MP, Will Handford (The National Trust’s Renewable Energy Programme Director), Tom Fyans (CPRE’s Interim CEO) and our Director Steve Shaw.

With all seats taken, people were packed in, crowded out the door and down the corridor. Some MPs and Peers who turned up were unable to physically enter the room – some stood in the corridor listening for over an hour, whilst others came back at the end to speak with us, offering to do more to help. This was a real show of the campaign’s strength in the halls of Parliament.

Halfway through the evening during the Q&A, Labour’s Energy Minister Dr Alan Whitehead announced that the Labour Front Bench are fully behind our improved version of the Local Electricity Bill, which we plan to have introduced into Parliament imminently (more info on that soon).

Thank you for backing this campaign and believing in it. As Wera Hobhouse said, you are the strength of this campaign. We have 312 MPs on board now but we need more support and activity to get the Government onside and see this over the line.

Click here to join our next Question Time

Save the date: we host a monthly session to answer your questions and discuss any updates to the campaign. It would be great to see you there on Monday 21st November at 5:30pm

Power for People – Q&A Session

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Half of all UK households could face fuel poverty this winter due to the rapidly rising costs of energy bills.

The community energy sector has such potential to make a big contribution to relieve this mounting pressure. But regulatory barriers stand in the way. Now more than ever, we need to enable community energy groups to sell their clean power to local households so that money we pay for our energy is redirected into local communities.

Last week we organised the introduction of a legislative amendment that would do this to the Government’s Energy Bill, currently proceeding through Parliament. The amendment is soon to be debated and voted on in the House of Lords.

Whether or not we win this vote, we will need to encourage MPs and the Government to back what we are calling for when the Energy Bill comes to the House of Commons. Are you wondering how you can help?

On Thursday 15th September, we will be hosting our first ‘drop in’ Q&A session with our team of expert campaigners.

Drop in anytime between 5:30pm and 6:30pm to have your questions about the campaign answered.

Whether you want an update on campaign progress, or you are not sure what to ask of your MP – no question is too small.

To join us, click this link on 15th September at 5.30pm (no registration required).

These informal Q&As will take place every other month.

Remember: we are still here to answer your questions in-between Q&As, just email us at info@powerforpeople.org.uk.