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To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support the uptake of the local power plan by (i) Buckinghamshire Council and (ii) Milton Keynes City Council.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support the uptake of the local power plan by (i) Buckinghamshire Council and (ii) Milton Keynes City Council.
On 10 February 2026, we announced the Local Power Plan (LPP): a joint DESNZ‑Great British Energy (GBE) publication setting out the UK’s largest ever public investment in community energy, up to £1 billion. GBE will aim to support at least 1000 local and community energy projects by 2030.
Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council may wish to engage with GBE through its Expression of Interest process, now open on the GBE website. This non‑binding process allows communities, local government and businesses to share proposals so that support can be targeted effectively as funding tools and advisory services are rolled out.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department are taking to support community energy projects on his Department's land.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department are taking to support community energy projects on his Department's land.
The Ministry of Defence recognises the potential role that community energy projects can play in supporting estate decarbonisation and energy resilience. We are exploring opportunities for Defence to engage with such schemes as part of our wider work on energy generation and supply across the Defence estate.
The Department also works closely with other Government Departments and public sector partners, including through cross-Government forums on public estate decarbonisation and local energy planning, to understand opportunities and address barriers to future collaboration with community energy projects.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any local authorities in the Fylde constituency will benefit from a Community Power Pilot.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any local authorities in the Fylde constituency will benefit from a Community Power Pilot.
We will publish more information on Community Power Pilots, including the places we will be working with and the criteria that will be used, in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce financial incentives for community-led battery storage projects.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce financial incentives for community-led battery storage projects.
Community battery projects are already eligible for support through a range of national and devolved schemes, including the Local Power Plan, which is providing up to £1bn of funding over this Spending Review period.
On 4 June, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero launched a Call for Evidence on community batteries, which is seeking views on financial barriers to delivery and the most effective funding routes. This will inform how Government can best support community-led battery storage projects going forward.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of barriers to community ownership of battery storage infrastructure.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of barriers to community ownership of battery storage infrastructure.
The Government recognises that community-owned battery projects can face a range of barriers, including high upfront capital costs, complex grid connection processes, and challenges around onboarding residents.
On 4 June, the Department launched a Call for Evidence on community batteries to gather views on these barriers from a range of stakeholders. This will help inform how Government can best support the scale-up of community-owned battery projects across the UK.
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to incentivise collaboration between community energy organisations and local authorities in order to deliver renewable energy targets at a local level.
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to incentivise collaboration between community energy organisations and local authorities in order to deliver renewable energy targets at a local level.
DESNZ is supporting local government capacity work, including funding Regen to deliver training and guidance for planners on renewable energy and storage technologies. This will provide invaluable capacity support when partnering with community energy groups on projects.
In addition, the Local Power Plan, backed by up to £1 billion of funding from Great British Energy (GBE), sets out plans to support local projects. This includes GBE’s Partnerships Grant which will fund joint Local Government and Community Energy Projects – more detail expected later this year.
Alongside direct investment, GBE will also provide a team of experts to help communities plan and build their projects. GBE will act as a convener and coordinator to connect communities, community energy groups, local government and others to help projects to be developed.
We love community energy and we are determined to see much more of it all across the country. Through the local power plan, which we published recently, we are rolling out the biggest expansion of community energy in British history. By 2030, Great British Energy, which is delivering for the people of this country, will support over 1,000 local and community energy projects, with £1 billion of investment. Ownership matters to this Government, and we are determined to deliver it for communities across Britain.
We love community energy and we are determined to see much more of it all across the country. Through the local power plan, which we published recently, we are rolling out the biggest expansion of community energy in British history. By 2030, Great British Energy, which is delivering for the people of this country, will support over 1,000 local and community energy projects, with £1 billion of investment. Ownership matters to this Government, and we are determined to deliver it for communities across Britain.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of community-owned renewable energy on energy security.
There are amazing developments in community energy, particularly across my constituency with the Northumberland solar-powered community buildings project, which is purchasing and installing both solar panels and battery storage for community buildings, including village halls, in our most remote communities. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the community energy specific need for a smart export guarantee, and greater support for community energy power-purchasing agreements?
There are amazing developments in community energy, particularly across my constituency with the Northumberland solar-powered community buildings project, which is purchasing and installing both solar panels and battery storage for community buildings, including village halls, in our most remote communities. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the community energy specific need for a smart export guarantee, and greater support for community energy power-purchasing agreements?
That sounds like a great project, and I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend, as I would anyone across the House who has exciting community energy projects in their area. The local power plan partly deals with investment, but it also deals with those questions of how we get regulation right so that communities can sell power locally and make a return that they can keep in their community.
That sounds like a great project, and I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend, as I would anyone across the House who has exciting community energy projects in their area. The local power plan partly deals with investment, but it also deals with those questions of how we get regulation right so that communities can sell power locally and make a return that they can keep in their community.
That sounds like a great project, and I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend, as I would anyone across the House who has exciting community energy projects in their area. The local power plan partly deals with investment, but it also deals with those questions of how we get regulation right so that communities can sell power locally and make a return that they can keep in their community.
There are amazing developments in community energy, particularly across my constituency with the Northumberland solar-powered community buildings project, which is purchasing and installing both solar panels and battery storage for community buildings, including village halls, in our most remote communities. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the community energy specific need for a smart export guarantee, and greater support for community energy power-purchasing agreements?
The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report on community energy, which I am sure the Minister has read, has raised concerns that community energy projects are at risk of being left behind unless there is clear guidance from the Government on how and when the necessary reforms will be implemented. Will the energy independence Bill establish a workable model so that community energy will be delivered as soon as possible?
The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report on community energy, which I am sure the Minister has read, has raised concerns that community energy projects are at risk of being left behind unless there is clear guidance from the Government on how and when the necessary reforms will be implemented. Will the energy independence Bill establish a workable model so that community energy will be delivered as soon as possible?
I love all the work that the hon. Member has been doing on community energy; I am tempted to say that we were going to do it anyway, but it was great to have the report on my bedside cabinet to read as well. Giving guidance and making reforms are exactly what we need to do; it is about making it much easier for communities to sell power to the market and hold on to the profits that they make from that. We will legislate to take that forward in the energy independence Bill. There are a number of other things that we are taking forward, but investment in those community energy projects is critical. I would encourage her to speak to the hon. Member for Horsham (John Milne) and make clear that £1 billion through GB Energy to make it happen does matter.
I love all the work that the hon. Member has been doing on community energy; I am tempted to say that we were going to do it anyway, but it was great to have the report on my bedside cabinet to read as well. Giving guidance and making reforms are exactly what we need to do; it is about making it much easier for communities to sell power to the market and hold on to the profits that they make from that. We will legislate to take that forward in the energy independence Bill. There are a number of other things that we are taking forward, but investment in those community energy projects is critical. I would encourage her to speak to the hon. Member for Horsham (John Milne) and make clear that £1 billion through GB Energy to make it happen does matter.
I love all the work that the hon. Member has been doing on community energy; I am tempted to say that we were going to do it anyway, but it was great to have the report on my bedside cabinet to read as well. Giving guidance and making reforms are exactly what we need to do; it is about making it much easier for communities to sell power to the market and hold on to the profits that they make from that. We will legislate to take that forward in the energy independence Bill. There are a number of other things that we are taking forward, but investment in those community energy projects is critical. I would encourage her to speak to the hon. Member for Horsham (John Milne) and make clear that £1 billion through GB Energy to make it happen does matter.
The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report on community energy, which I am sure the Minister has read, has raised concerns that community energy projects are at risk of being left behind unless there is clear guidance from the Government on how and when the necessary reforms will be implemented. Will the energy independence Bill establish a workable model so that community energy will be delivered as soon as possible?
When it comes to local and community energy, we welcome the investment by Great British Energy, and the local power plan. However, the Liberal Democrats pushed to get community energy in the Great British Energy Act 2025, because we knew that there were hurdles beyond investment, as pointed out by my hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse), who is on the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee. We have been waiting for over a year to hear about this. The Minister has said that the Government are creating the much-awaited energy independence Bill, which will include changes to local energy trading, so that there is a right to sell supply locally. However, I would like to know about the community energy export guarantee, power purchase agreements for local authorities—
When it comes to local and community energy, we welcome the investment by Great British Energy, and the local power plan. However, the Liberal Democrats pushed to get community energy in the Great British Energy Act 2025, because we knew that there were hurdles beyond investment, as pointed out by my hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse), who is on the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee. We have been waiting for over a year to hear about this. The Minister has said that the Government are creating the much-awaited energy independence Bill, which will include changes to local energy trading, so that there is a right to sell supply locally. However, I would like to know about the community energy export guarantee, power purchase agreements for local authorities—
The hon. Lady could go on all day reading out the things that this Government are already going to do. We want to see much more community ownership, because it matters to us that communities own their future energy, and that people keep the wealth in their communities to invest it in the things that they think are important, because they know their community best. There is a whole series of actions that previous Governments have not taken that would have made that possible. We are going to clear that away and make it possible for communities to own their energy, and we have put £1 billion into that. I always welcome the Lib Dems’ support for what we are doing.
The hon. Lady could go on all day reading out the things that this Government are already going to do. We want to see much more community ownership, because it matters to us that communities own their future energy, and that people keep the wealth in their communities to invest it in the things that they think are important, because they know their community best. There is a whole series of actions that previous Governments have not taken that would have made that possible. We are going to clear that away and make it possible for communities to own their energy, and we have put £1 billion into that. I always welcome the Lib Dems’ support for what we are doing.
The hon. Lady could go on all day reading out the things that this Government are already going to do. We want to see much more community ownership, because it matters to us that communities own their future energy, and that people keep the wealth in their communities to invest it in the things that they think are important, because they know their community best. There is a whole series of actions that previous Governments have not taken that would have made that possible. We are going to clear that away and make it possible for communities to own their energy, and we have put £1 billion into that. I always welcome the Lib Dems’ support for what we are doing.
When it comes to local and community energy, we welcome the investment by Great British Energy, and the local power plan. However, the Liberal Democrats pushed to get community energy in the Great British Energy Act 2025, because we knew that there were hurdles beyond investment, as pointed out by my hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse), who is on the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee. We have been waiting for over a year to hear about this. The Minister has said that the Government are creating the much-awaited energy independence Bill, which will include changes to local energy trading, so that there is a right to sell supply locally. However, I would like to know about the community energy export guarantee, power purchase agreements for local authorities—
My local community energy company, which is run by volunteers, is incredibly keen to get solar panels on the roofs of local public buildings, but we are really struggling to get the permissions we need from the local authority to proceed with two schools. They missed the easter installation window, and have now missed the window for this summer. Does the Minister agree that we need this to hurry up?
My local community energy company, which is run by volunteers, is incredibly keen to get solar panels on the roofs of local public buildings, but we are really struggling to get the permissions we need from the local authority to proceed with two schools. They missed the easter installation window, and have now missed the window for this summer. Does the Minister agree that we need this to hurry up?
Yes, I completely agree. I am sure that if my hon. Friend’s local authority is listening, it will hurry up and make those decisions. We also want the process to be more standardised across the country, so that community projects like hers can learn from others who have done the same, and so that we can speed up the whole process.
Yes, I completely agree. I am sure that if my hon. Friend’s local authority is listening, it will hurry up and make those decisions. We also want the process to be more standardised across the country, so that community projects like hers can learn from others who have done the same, and so that we can speed up the whole process.
Yes, I completely agree. I am sure that if my hon. Friend’s local authority is listening, it will hurry up and make those decisions. We also want the process to be more standardised across the country, so that community projects like hers can learn from others who have done the same, and so that we can speed up the whole process.
My local community energy company, which is run by volunteers, is incredibly keen to get solar panels on the roofs of local public buildings, but we are really struggling to get the permissions we need from the local authority to proceed with two schools. They missed the easter installation window, and have now missed the window for this summer. Does the Minister agree that we need this to hurry up?
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of community-owned renewable energy on energy security.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of community-owned renewable energy on energy security.
We love community energy and we are determined to see much more of it all across the country. Through the local power plan, which we published recently, we are rolling out the biggest expansion of community energy in British history. By 2030, Great British Energy, which is delivering for the people of this country, will support over 1,000 local and community energy projects, with £1 billion of investment. Ownership matters to this Government, and we are determined to deliver it for communities across Britain.
To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to strengthen co-ordination between high-level spatial development strategies and local energy planning to support community energy projects.
To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to strengthen co-ordination between high-level spatial development strategies and local energy planning to support community energy projects.
The preparation of spatial development strategies (SDS) will be a matter for strategic planning authorities. An SDS may specify or describe infrastructure, including infrastructure for mitigating or adapting to climate change, and there is a requirement to have regard to sustainable development when preparing an SDS. Any SDS will also have to take into account the National Planning Policy Framework which contains policy about both SDSs and energy. Local plans will have to be in general conformity with an adopted SDS.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available for community solar projects.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available for community solar projects.
On 10 February 2026, we announced the Local Power Plan (LPP): a joint DESNZ‑Great British Energy (GBE) publication setting out the UK’s largest ever public investment in community energy, including community solar projects
Backed by up to £1 billion, GBE has committed to support at least 1000 local and community energy projects by 2030.
Great British Energy is developing further schemes to expand opportunities for community energy groups, including for solar deployment, with more information available later this year.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how is he supporting housing cooperatives to have access to community energy schemes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how is he supporting housing cooperatives to have access to community energy schemes.
Housing cooperatives can access schemes where they meet the criteria for community energy groups, and the Department continues to engage with the sector to ensure our support reflects the needs of different community ownership models.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, who are able to apply for Local Power Plans.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, who are able to apply for Local Power Plans.
The DESNZ/GBE Local Power Plan is designed to engage a wide range of stakeholders and participants including community energy organisations, local authorities as well as investors and lenders. The initial entry route for those seeking support is typically through a Great British Energy Expression of Interest (EOI). This is open to communities and local authorities to submit project ideas for support. This EOI is GBE’s first step toward coordinated engagement on local and community power, to build a shared understanding of what projects are emerging across the country. Great British Energy is developing further schemes, with more information available this year.