Generating affordable, renewable energy in London will play a vital role in helping Londoners keep their energy bills down in the cost-of-living crisis. An important aspect of this is the roll out of community energy projects.
Since 2016, national government support for community energy schemes has fallen significantly, removing many of the incentives that were in place for community members to invest in these schemes.
In London, the main body that co-ordinates community energy is Community Energy London, an independent think tank supporting London’s progress to becoming a low-carbon city.
In 2021, Community Energy London undertook an assessment of the role that community energy played in London Councils’ Climate Action Plans, and found only four London councils provided any direct form of support for community energy, and only 13 of the 28 councils that had declared a climate emergency had mentioned community energy within their strategies.[1] Since then other Councils have increased their support to community energy, often funded through carbon offset levies from development.
The Environment Committee will meet tomorrow to investigate community energy in London, looking at how soaring energy prices have affected these schemes, and what the Mayor and Greater London Authority (GLA) are doing to increase community energy schemes across the capital.
The investigation will also look into the status of Solar Together installations, and what measures the Mayor has in place to ensure Londoners are not affected by the failure of Green Energy Together (GET UK).
Guests at the meeting include:
- Afsheen Rashid, CEO of RePower London
- Cllr Mete Coban, Cabinet Member for the Environment for Hackney Council
- Syed Ahmed, Chair of Community Energy London (CEL)
- Catherine Barber, Assistant Director, Environment and Energy, GLA
- Austin Entonu, Head of Energy, GLA
The meeting will take place on Wednesday 17 May from 2pm, in The Chamber, at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
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Notes to editors
- Community Energy London, Community Energy in a Changing Climate, July 2021
- Full agenda papers.
- Léonie Cooper AM, Chair of the Environment Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Environment Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more information, please contact Tony Smyth in the Assembly Media Office on 07510 488715. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.