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Unlocking Community Energy at Scale

20 January 2025

Parliamentary Inquiry by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee

CSE recently contributed to the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee’s inquiry on unlocking community energy at scale. This inquiry takes place within the context of the UK government’s ambition to decarbonise the electricity system by 2030, where community energy is expected to play a pivotal role. The committee is examining the policy, market, and regulatory reforms needed to support the growth of community energy. 

At CSE, we believe community energy holds immense potential to build public support for renewable energy, accelerate its adoption, and contribute meaningfully to the UK’s net zero goals. These initiatives empower local communities, foster resilience, and reduce dependence on external energy sources.

Essential policy reforms

For community energy initiatives to flourish, significant reforms are needed across several key areas:

Government support and coordination

The government must develop an accessible, nationwide approach to scaling community energy through a comprehensive support programme that:

Regulatory and market reform

A thorough review of the regulatory environment is needed to address current restrictions preventing community energy organisations from developing innovative business models, including:

Grid Connection and clean power integration

The government’s 2030 Clean Power Plan commitments should explicitly recognise the social and community benefits of these schemes, particularly regarding:

Planning policy enhancement

National and local planning policies require updates in order to:


At CSE, we recognise that transforming our energy system requires more than just technological solutions. Through these recommended reforms, we can create an energy landscape that truly serves local communities while advancing our climate action goals. Our decades of experience working with communities across the UK have shown that when local people are empowered to shape their local energy environment of their own area, the benefits extend far beyond renewable generation to create lasting positive change in their communities.

Unlocking community energy at scale

Read CSE’s full response to the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee

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