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UK Launches £1 Billion Local Power Plan for Community-Owned Clean Energy

Early awards in Walsall and Shropshire signal a move to local ownership, with a one-stop shop for bids due later this year.

Overview

  • The government confirmed up to £1 billion of public finance via Great British Energy to fund local and community energy under the new Local Power Plan.
  • Great British Energy awarded £672,935 to Bloxwich Active Living Centre for rooftop solar and EV chargers, with savings estimated at £25,000 a year and £785,000 over the project’s lifetime.
  • Bayston Hill Parish Council received £81,795 for solar panels, a heat pump and EV charging points, with additional rooftop solar funding going to Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.
  • The programme targets support for an initial 1,000 community-led projects by 2030, focusing on places with historically low uptake of community energy.
  • A new Great British Energy one-stop shop will offer grants, loans and technical advice, alongside work on skills, sustainable business models and potential regulatory changes to expand shared ownership.