The UK Government has published its Great British Energy founding statement, outlining more detail on how the publicly-owned energy company will deliver on the 2030 clean energy target.
The Prime Minister and Energy Secretary also announced a partnership between GB Energy and The Crown Estate to enable offshore wind developments and invest in UK renewable power. There was also confirmation of the appointment of a new Chair to lead the state-owned company and the Great British Energy Bill was introduced in parliament.
Commenting on the GB Energy announcements, Stew Horne, head of policy at Energy Saving Trust, said:
“It’s encouraging to see the launch and detail of how GB Energy will start to deliver and sustain itself to benefit people with clean, lower cost power. We especially welcome the commitment to scale up community owned renewable energy through the Local Power Plan.
“We’ve seen how communities can benefit from the transition to reliable, clean renewable energy and how, in turn, this can lower their energy costs. The Welsh Government Energy Service, for example, has advised on and supported the installation of 44.5 MW of community renewable electricity generation since 2018, enough to power 18,000 homes.
“We urge the UK Government to draw on this and other proven successful delivery models and introduce a one-stop shop style of support in England. This would have a transformational impact by getting community energy projects off the ground faster and enabling more effective uptake of financial support with expert, tailored advice.”
