Community energy generation 'the way forward for the UK' - 03/02/2012

Community-based schemes that can generate cheap electricity for renewable energy sources will be the key to cutting the UK's carbon footprint, it has been stated.

This is the view of a group of several civil society organisations including the Co-operative, the National Trust and the Church of England, which called for such projects to receive more government support, the Guardian reports.

They claim the coalition is not doing enough to support the development of locally-owned renewable energy generators such as wind and solar farms and will be presenting their case to energy and climate secretary Chris Huhne.

Head of social goals at the Co-operative Paul Monaghan said: "We want nothing less than a clean energy revolution, with communities controlling and benefiting from their own renewable energy."

Pat Begg, director of rural enterprise at the National Trust, added the UK is falling behind many other European nations, noting Germany produces over 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources, with community-based schemes representing a quarter of this.

Recently, SSE announced a new sustainable energy fund for local energy developments in Scotland that could be worth up to £90 million over the next 25 years.

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