Community energy should be central to local authority strategies, not only in terms of delivering net zero but also for increasing inclusion, tackling fuel poverty, progressing economic development and skills, and delivering a ‘just transition’. (A just transition is a pathway to Net Zero that is fair, maximising the benefits of climate action and minimising negative impacts for workers and their communities). Community energy can contribute to local authority objectives in many ways, including by:

• Acting as trusted intermediaries within local communities on energy and Net Zero.
• Providing access to local knowledge and technical know-how.
• Providing access to local networks of individuals committed to Net Zero.
• Generating benefits from energy projects that improve the well-being of local people, thereby increasing local buy-in to these projects.
• Providing access to capital funding via community shares and bonds.
• Sharing project profits and energy bill savings with the local community.
• Providing access to feasibility funding not available to local authorities.
• Supporting future resilience to energy price shocks by increasing local supply.
• Building skills and capacity within the local green economy.

Now is a particularly important time to reflect on how your local authority is working with the community energy sector. GB Energy’s Local Power Plan is currently being developed by the government, setting a target for eight GW of new local and community-owned renewable energy to be established across the UK by 2030. Community energy is expected to play a key role in this, given the contribution it can make to delivering projects at scale, generating benefits for local people and improving resilience to future energy price shocks.

This document will help you:

• Assess where you currently stand: The Local Authority-Community Energy (LACE) collaboration assessment will help you review your current engagement with community energy.
• Identify ways to develop better collaboration: Alongside the LACE collaboration assessment, we share ideas and good practice examples to help you progress collaboration on energy issues with community groups in your area.

The Local Authority-Community Energy (LACE) collaboration assessment sets out the following six building blocks which can help your local authority to support and grow the community energy sector in order to meet its wider strategic objectives. The assessment asks whether your local authority:

1. Has a good understanding of community energy and what it can deliver, both within and beyond the energy and climate team.
2. Has explicit policies and plans that support community energy.
3. Builds relationships with existing community energy groups in your area.
4. Nurtures and supports the development of local community energy organisations.
5. Supports the delivery of renewable energy, heat or transport projects by community energy organisations.
6. Supports the delivery of energy efficiency, fuel poverty, and retrofit services by community energy organisations.

The LACE collaboration assessment sets out statements that will enable you to gauge your local authority’s current level of collaboration, and its associated ability to realise the opportunities offered by the Local Power Plan, against each of these building blocks. The remaining chapters of the guide provide guidance and good practice examples on each of the building blocks in turn.