With the launch of the UK’s first Community Energy Strategy, a ray of light has opened in a doorway to what could have a radical impact in the way we generate and use energy.
Not only does it hold out the prospect of a far greater level of local, community engagement in sustainable energy generation – the ‘democratisation of energy’ – there is also a glimmer of hope on local electricity supply. Why is this important?
Rarely a day goes by without the cost of energy and the security of our current supply being in the news. One of the biggest fears is that we are all on a treadmill of ever spiralling energy costs as our generation and supply infrastructure wears out and the market can’t or won’t invest to replace it.
This theme is cropping up regularly. Our centralised electricity generation and supply system has been an extraordinary achievement which has helped stabilise energy costs for a long time. But the economics of large centralised generation stations – which the National Grid currently operates – are now in doubt and with it the economics of centralised supply.
With the rise of smaller scale, renewable energy technologies, with much lower running costs and free fuel supply, there is a prospect of local generation developing to meet local demand – progressively reducing our dependence on a centralised system that is locked into global fossil fuel prices. And with a much more local approach to energy supply comes the added advantage of much greater awareness – reinforced through our friends and neighbours – of how we can reduce our energy demands.
It’s just a glimmer of light at the moment. As the strategy alludes to, there are significant regulatory issues to overcome – ‘license lite’ (referred to in section 6.4 of the Strategy) is just an initial step down this road and we hope that the Greater London Authority sets a positive example with its application. There are plenty of technical and commercial challenges too. On the whole, the Strategy represents a step in the right direction, and is one that Community Energy Scotland is actively pursuing through its Local Energy Economies Programme.
Source:
Energy Secretary Edward Davey launches new Community Energy Strategy
Greg Barker gives his vision for community energy in the UK
Ed Davey opens biomass facilities at Drax and announces White Rose CCS project
Greg Barker visits West Midlands eco park.
At last, someone at DECC is talking some sense. I have been blogging about the “democatisation of Energy” for some time now; and also how the energy market was being ‘rigged’ in favour of capital-intensive offshore wind, nuclear and fracking to make those look economically viable. To do so, Energy-efficiency and renewable energy seem to be being played down, given a low profile and support. It is also happening in Australia. These macro-energy production of energy vested interests must be resisted if only on the grounds of its inefficiency – the significant energy distribution loss. Let’s hope this glimmer of light begins to glow bright so we can start to lesson the ‘crime’ being done against the populace and future generations.