Following the Government’s announcement that £30 million will be used to fund over 1,000 community-led clean energy projects across the country, from solar panels on local buildings to village-owned wind farms and hydro schemes in nearby rivers, Robert Palmer, deputy director of Uplift welcomes the decision.
He said: “It is welcome that communities rather than shareholders should feel the benefits of renewables, but these are baby steps when we need to be running at this problem full tilt.
“Energy bills are shooting up yet again, which means more eye watering profits for the oil and gas companies, while the rest of us – and the UK economy as a whole – suffer the consequences.
“If we’ve learnt anything from the last five years of energy crisis after energy crisis, it’s that the government urgently needs to help everyone up and down the country get off the oil and gas rollercoaster.
“That means scaling up support for households and businesses to switch to clean energy and feel the savings – as well as ensuring communities that host renewables get a share of the profits.
“This government is going in the right direction, but clearly needs to go much further and faster to ensure everyone benefits.
“With yet another spike in oil and gas prices, over which we have no control, now is the time for ambitious action, not small-scale thinking.”
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