Good Energy’s CEO, Juliet Davenport, recently attended the first session of the government’s Industry Contact Group on Distributed Energy – a special working group set up by Climate Change Minister Greg Barker to highlight the benefits of decentralised energy and the need for the government to support it in its Electricity Market Reform (EMR) project.

This is a subject close to our heart, as we believe that generating energy at home, in businesses and in communities, is the cornerstone on which the UK’s green energy future will be built. When people understand where their energy comes from, they value it more and use it less. Homegrown energy is better for the UK’s future energy security and helps to protects us from price volatility caused by relying on imported energy.

In its initial meeting, the group looked at many of the issues that smaller-scale generators face when undertaking their own renewable energy projects. It identified a number of barriers related to the highly centralised nature of the current market and how the reform process needs to address them to deliver a more decentralised energy system. Specifically, Juliet stressed how generators below 20MW might be led by non-energy professionals, such as landowners or communities, who are less well-equipped that larger generators to overcome barriers without support from the government. 

Participating in the group will help to ensure that the reforms address many of the issues renewable generators face when developing new projects. In particular, that the proposed replacement for the Renewables Obligation for larger scale generators (above 5MW in capacity) works not just for the largest offshore wind farms, but also for smaller schemes which have a vital role to play in the future.

It’s an encouraging start. A year ago, we were worried that the government’s initial EMR plans included nothing about the important role that decentralised generation will play in our future energy mix. Along with our own efforts in speaking to MPs and Ministers, we invited our customers to write to their local MP to urge the government to recognise the role of decentralised energy in its EMR project.

In the coming weeks, the work from the initial session will be developed in a number of sub-groups, with Good Energy continuing to play a key role. We’ll keep you posted on our progress, but in the meantime we’d like to say a big thanks to all those who have supported us so far, and we look forward to using this great opportunity to help shape the UK’s clean, green 100% renewable future.

Head to our campaigns page to find out what else we’re doing to help change the UK energy industry, for good.