Great news this morning that councils can start producing their own homegrown energy from next week. Good Energy's CEO Juliet Davenport was interviewed about this on the Five Live breakfast show this morning – and also got into an interesting debate with a wind farm NIMBY.

We think it’s a win-win situation for everyone. Local authorities will be able to earn money from selling green electricity back into the grid, which they should be able to put towards reducing council taxes – so the benefits can be enjoyed by the whole community.

We’re also pleased that the Government is pressing ahead with proposals first mooted by Greg Clark MP that would allow communities with renewable energy projects to keep the additional business rates they generate. We’ve always believed that local authorities have a critical role to play in helping the UK produce more home-grown renewable electricity, which is better for our energy security as well as helping reduce carbon emissions.

The Government needs to work with communities when planning local energy projects not against them, and these proposals are a welcome move in the right direction. All these steps are vital in encouraging community-owned energy schemes, which benefit everyone.