Dorset Community Energy has welcomed the Government’s new £1 billion Local Power Plan, describing it as a major opportunity to expand community-owned renewable energy across the county.
The plan – described by ministers as the largest public investment in community energy in UK history – aims to give communities the resources and support to develop their own local energy projects. The programme will include grants, loans, expert advice and targeted investment, alongside efforts to remove regulatory barriers that have historically made it difficult for community schemes to enter the energy market.
There will also be a new Partnership Fund encouraging closer collaboration between local authorities and community energy groups.
Dorset Community Energy says it looks forward to continuing its work with Dorset Council and BCP Council, as well as exploring future opportunities with the national energy body Great British Energy.
The organisation has been developing community-owned renewable projects in Dorset since it was founded in 2013. Over the past decade it has installed 30 solar PV systems on schools, hospitals and community buildings across the county, funded through community share investment.
Together, those projects have generated more than 8,000 MWh of clean electricity – enough to power around 2,400 homes. They have also saved local organisations almost £1 million in energy costs while preventing an estimated 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Any surplus income from the schemes is reinvested locally through the organisation’s Community Fund, supporting further projects and initiatives across Dorset.
Supporters say the new Local Power Plan could allow projects like these to grow significantly in the coming years, keeping more of the financial benefits of renewable energy within local communities while helping tackle fuel poverty and strengthen energy resilience.
dorsetcommunityenergy.org.uk
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