Energy Bill Second Reading in the House of Lords

“We need an enabling mechanism, such as that outlined in the previous Session’s Local Electricity Bill, which makes it possible for community energy schemes to sell power directly to local consumers.”

These were the words of Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle on 19th July at the Second Reading of the Energy Bill. 

The Bill, which started in the House of Lords, is the first major piece of proposed energy legislation in almost 10 years.  

Members of the House Lords including the Lord Bishop of Carlisle, Baroness Bennett, Lord Lennie, Baroness Boycott, and Baroness Hayman all called on the Government to support an amendment enabling more community energy generation in the Bill. 

Government Minister, Lord Callanan, rejected this collective call. 

Watch our highlights video below.

What happens next?

We will continue to mobilise constituency advocacy for the Government to support an amendment to the Energy Bill that will enable community energy schemes to sell their clean power to local people. 

If you have already asked your MP to write to the Energy Minister asking to support an amendment enabling community energy - thank you. Please send us any reply you receive.

We must ensure that community energy groups are able to play a much larger role in our energy system than they currently do.

Please sign up to our campaign and receive updates and calls to action.

Read the minutes of the debate here.

Together we can transform things.