Unlocking Community Energy at Scale: IET Comments to the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee on 13 January 2025

The IET has responded to an open consultation from the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.

The consultation aims to:

• Identify solutions to the financial and regulatory barriers facing community energy projects,
• Consider the role of the Local Power Plan
• Assess reforms to the planning system, grid connections and the energy market all with a view to support the growth of community energy at scale.

Drawing upon the wealth of expertise in our membership the IET’s response outlines some of the barriers and opportunities of community energy projects in the wider context of the Net Zero energy transition.

In this paper, the IET recommends that the committee explore:

• A clear government definition of community energy.
• A national strategy for community energy be included in the Local Power Plan to be produced by Great British Energy
• Community energy should be treated as an integrated part of a whole-system approach via reforms to energy sales and market arrangements
• New technologies and community energy engagement is incorporated into regulatory frameworks by Ofgem in the next price control frameworks (ED3) to help secure grid connections.