Policy

As the voice of the sector, we engage on behalf of our members with the Scottish and UK Governments, MPs and MSPs, developers, think tanks and other third sector organisations.

We use evidence and influence to achieve policy change, to make it easier for our members and other communities to increase their stake in the energy system and support the transition to a low carbon, high wellbeing society.

We are a member of the Scottish Community Coalition on Energy, calling for a Fair Energy Deal for Scottish Communities.

Community energy is devolved to Scotland, but the power to change many of the barriers is reserved to Westminster, so we work closely with Community Energy England and Community Energy Wales on UK-wide issues.

State of the Sector

Each year we gather data and produce the State of the Sector report on community energy in Scotland and across the UK.

State of the Sector

Current areas of focus

1GW of community energy in Scotland by 2030

Scotland currently has over 100MW of community energy. We want to increase that to 1000MW, or 1GW, by 2030. We need a target for true community-owned energy, separate from other ‘local’ energy which lacks community control.

By 2040, we want to see 25% of energy generation and storage in Scotland in community hands.

Shared ownership

Communities can increase their stake in the energy system by buying into existing developments. But despite Government targets, only 0.2% of Scotland’s wind power is in community hands. Communities need a better offer and support to take up shared ownership opportunities

Local Power Plan and GB Energy

We welcomed the publication of the Local Power Plan and will be pushing Great British Energy, the UK Government and the Scottish Government to ensure they meet the plan’s vision for every community to have the opportunity to take forward a local energy project by 2030.

Government-backed income guarantee

Policy uncertainty and the end of initiatives such as the Feed-in Tariff has caused a previously dynamic sector to stall. The UK Government should introduce a new mechanism to guarantee income from the sale of community energy.

Community benefit payments

Community benefits funds for communities near to energy developments are voluntary, inconsistent and not increasing in line with inflation. We want the UK Government to make community benefit funds mandatory and for the payment levels to be index-linked.

Community-led heat decarbonisation

As trusted members of their communities, our member groups are well placed to support the decarbonisation of home heating, both on- and off-grid. Community control should be built in to government policy on clean heat, from heat networks to community heat teams and retrofitting.

Repowering

Over the coming years, most of Scotland’s community wind turbines will need replaced. But community groups are facing steep barriers to repowering, putting the future of this existing community power at risk. This must be urgently addressed by the UK and Scottish Governments.

Community capacity building

70% of the sector is supported almost entirely by volunteers, so capacity is an ongoing and significant barrier to most community energy organisations. Scotland’s CARES scheme will now support capacity building, but more is needed to unlock potential.

Grid connection reform

Communities are being crowded out by big developers when it comes to grid connections. There is a public interest case for prioritising community energy connections, given the additional value provided to societies, local economies and the environment.