Our recently adopted Zero Carbon Strategy highlights the need for a fundamental change in how we generate and consume energy in all aspects of our lives. Both electricity generation and distribution are undergoing rapid evolution, in both shape and scale. The distribution grid, must now cope with power flows in both directions and South Cambridgeshire is at the limit of renewable generation capacity for that reason. In scale, electrification of heat and transport will require a quadrupling of electricity capacity. Local, community-based energy schemes can make a significant contribution to addressing both issues and encourage a sense of local empowerment to tackle climate change. Community schemes encourage local generation and storage to match local demand thus relieving pressure on the grid. Local schemes would be given new impetus and be able to contribute more renewable energy if local people could buy their electricity directly from local suppliers. But the disproportionate cost of meeting regulatory approvals makes it impossible to be a local energy supplier at a local scale and so, under the current system, this local energy gets sold back to the central grid.
The Local Electricity Bill is a private members’ bill with cross-party support that was introduced unopposed in June 2020. If this Bill was passed in Parliament it would give the energy regulator, OFGEM, a duty to create a Right to Local Supply. This would enable local community energy groups to achieve their vision of supplying generated energy back to the local area, help us as a Council to meet our carbon reduction aspirations for the district,and also bring multiple benefits to the local community. It is supported by many stakeholders, local authorities, and town councils (including Cambourne) and currently has the backing of 198 MPs.
This Council
- resolves to support the Bill,
- authorises the Leader to contact our MPs to discuss their support for the Bill and how they can enable its passage into law
- authorises the Chief Executive to write to the Minister of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, supporting the aims of the Bill and asking for these aims to be taken into account in the forthcoming Energy White Paper.
Decision:
Council Noted that
Our recently adopted Zero Carbon Strategy highlights the need for a fundamental change in how we generate and consume energy in all aspects of our lives. Both electricity generation and distribution are undergoing rapid evolution, in both shape and scale. The distribution grid, must now cope with power flows in both directions and South Cambridgeshire is at the limit of renewable generation capacity for that reason. In scale, electrification of heat and transport will require a quadrupling of electricity capacity. Local, community-based energy schemes can make a significant contribution to addressing both issues and encourage a sense of local empowerment to tackle climate change. Community schemes encourage local generation and storage to match local demand thus relieving pressure on the grid. Local schemes would be given new impetus and be able to contribute more renewable energy if local people could buy their electricity directly from local suppliers. But the disproportionate cost of meeting regulatory approvals makes it impossible to be a local energy supplier at a local scale and so, under the current system, this local energy gets sold back to the central grid.
The Local Electricity Bill is a private members’ bill with cross-party support that was introduced unopposed in June 2020. If this Bill was passed in Parliament it would give the energy regulator, OFGEM, a duty to create a Right to Local Supply. This would enable local community energy groups to achieve their vision of supplying generated energy back to the local area, help us as a Council to meet our carbon reduction aspirations for the district,and also bring multiple benefits to the local community. It is supported by many stakeholders, local authorities, and town councils (including Cambourne) and currently has the backing of 198 MPs.
Council
Agreed to
A) Resolve to support the Bill.
B) Authorise the Leader to contact our MPs to discuss their support for the Bill and how they can enable its passage into law.
C) Authorise the Chief Executive to write to the Minister of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, supporting the aims of the Bill and asking for these aims to be taken into account in the forthcoming Energy White Paper.
Minutes:
Councillor Geoff Harvey proposed the following motion:
“The Local Electricity Bill is a private members’ bill with cross-party support that was introduced unopposed in June 2020. If this Bill was passed in Parliament it would give the energy regulator, OFGEM, a duty to create a Right to Local Supply. This would enable local community energy groups to achieve their vision of supplying generated energy back to the local area, help us as a Council to meet our carbon reduction aspirations for the district,and also bring multiple benefits to the local community. It is supported by many stakeholders, local authorities, and town councils (including Cambourne) and currently has the backing of 198 MPs.
“This Council
- resolves to support the Bill,
- authorises the Leader to contact our MPs to discuss their support for the Bill and how they can enable its passage into law
- authorises the Chief Executive to write to the Minister of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, supporting the aims of the Bill and asking for these aims to be taken into account in the forthcoming Energy White Paper.”
Councillor Geoff Harvey explained that it was very difficult for community energy companies to be established, due to the one-off set-up costs. He urged Council to support this motion to contact our local MPs and the Minister to support the Private Members Bill.
Councillor Heather Williams seconded the motion. She explained that the Conservative Group had contacted the Government Minister in June, expressing support for the Bill and a letter had been sent to Anthony Browne MP.
Councillor Nigel Cathcart expressed his support for the motion, due to the potential benefits of the Bill if properly enacted would mean savings for households from community renewable energy schemes.
Councillor Pippa Heylings supported the motion. She expressed concern that there had been a drop in renewable energy since the feed in tariff was removed.
Councillor Gavin Clayton expressed his support for the motion and if the Bill became the law he expected Cambourne Town Council to take advantage of the new arrangements.
By affirmation,
Council Noted that
Our recently adopted Zero Carbon Strategy highlights the need for a fundamental change in how we generate and consume energy in all aspects of our lives. Both electricity generation and distribution are undergoing rapid evolution, in both shape and scale. The distribution grid, must now cope with power flows in both directions and South Cambridgeshire is at the limit of renewable generation capacity for that reason. In scale, electrification of heat and transport will require a quadrupling of electricity capacity. Local, community-based energy schemes can make a significant contribution to addressing both issues and encourage a sense of local empowerment to tackle climate change. Community schemes encourage local generation and storage to match local demand thus relieving pressure on the grid. Local schemes would be given new impetus and be able to contribute more renewable energy if local people could buy their electricity directly from local suppliers. But the disproportionate cost of meeting regulatory approvals makes it impossible to be a local energy supplier at a local scale and so, under the current system, this local energy gets sold back to the central grid.
The Local Electricity Bill is a private members’ bill with cross-party support that was introduced unopposed in June 2020. If this Bill was passed in Parliament it would give the energy regulator, OFGEM, a duty to create a Right to Local Supply. This would enable local community energy groups to achieve their vision of supplying generated energy back to the local area, help us as a Council to meet our carbon reduction aspirations for the district,and also bring multiple benefits to the local community. It is supported by many stakeholders, local authorities, and town councils (including Cambourne) and currently has the backing of 198 MPs.
Council
Agreed to
A) Resolve to support the Bill.
B) Authorise the Leader to contact our MPs to discuss their support for the Bill and how they can enable its passage into law.
C) Authorise the Chief Executive to write to the Minister of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, supporting the aims of the Bill and asking for these aims to be taken into account in the forthcoming Energy White Paper.