Local energy can re-invigorate Local Democracy and tackle Fuel Poverty because prices tend to be lower than those set by the Big 6 suppliers. Local energy companies boost Local Wealth and Employment. Local Energy Resources can be used. Transmission distances are reduced, along with attendant energy losses, reducing electricity’s carbon footprint whilst local Energy Resilience increases.
Local Electricity Works : It’s common in Germany for example:
- Germany only has four main electricity companies controlling 43.8% of the market.
- 1,100 electricity suppliers exist.
- Households can select from around 72.
- Many are municipality and community-owned.
- ‘Bottom-up’ ownership still increasing.
- 190 communities and 70 municipalities, owned and ran their local distribution network.
- Bottom-up ownership is considered a move toward more constructive, locally-governed infrastructure in which communities ensure transparency, efficiency and good competition.
- Many community-owned suppliers, eg. Feldheim Energie and EWS Schönau, offer cheaper tariffs than their competitors, and boost locality prosperity.
- The UK electricity market is dominated by 6 companies who control 98% of the market, with only 30 licensed suppliers.
Local electricity generation can use local energy resources:
- Hi-energy industries’ – eg Steel Plants, Data Banks – waste heat can produce electricity for in-house or local consumption.
- Fuels can be peculiar to locales. Eg. South-West Cornwall/Devon border houses can use geothermal energy, already being harnessed for the Eden Project Domes; soon for Eden Project offices and St Austell residents.
- Geothermally warmed old coal mine tunnel flood water can heat homes and generate power.
- Coastal authorities serving small remote communities might be better served by electricity generation from local resources like seaweed biomass (eg kelp), in-shore short range tidal turbines or offshore floating wind power turbines.
- Solar can be harvested in most areas – Nottingham City Council notably boasted it was covering all available roof- spaces with photovoltaic solar panels.
- Hydro is less common but employed near Totnes, Devon, as well as widely in Scotland.
- Biofuel electricity generation resources vary with locale. Emission numbers stack-up differently in different locations and circumstances:
- Food waste in Welsh electricity generation saves methane otherwise emitted in landfill.
- Wood biomass replaced fossil fuel in Sweden obviously saving massive carbon emissions.
- Sewage biomass saves emissions in China when replacing coal. Elsewhere considered green.
Local Authorities have a duty to supply 30% of their electricity from green sources by 2030.
They could support/supply local electricity and secure carbon credits, like Exeter.
Labour MPs who support the Local Electricity Bill
Many Labour MPs Support The Local Electricity Bill:
Debbie Abrahams, Oldham East & Saddleworth; Rushini Ali, Bethanal Green and Bow; Hilary Benn, Leeds Central; Tahir Ali, Birmingham Had Green; Tonia Antoniozzini, Gower; Paul Barker, Liverpool West Waventree; Margarett Beckett,. Derby South; Aspana Bejum, Poplar/Limehouse; Clive Bells, Sheffield South; Olivia Blake, Sheffield Hallam; Paul Blomfield, Sheffield South; Ben Bradshaw, Exeter; Kevin Brennan, Cardiff West ; Richard Burgon, Leeds East; Dawn Butler, Brent Central; Ian Byrne, Liverpool West Derby; Ruth Cadbury, Brentford and Isleworth;
Dan Cordon, Liverpool Walter; Sarah Champion, Rotherham; Feryl Clark, Enfield Northern; Rosie Cooper, W Lancashire; Jeremy Corbyn, (Independent) Islington North; Neil Coyle, Bermondsey and Old Southwark; Stella Creasy, Walthamstow; John Cruddas, Dagenham and Rainford; John Cryer, Leyton and Rainsworth; Janet Daly, Lewisham East; Wayne David, Caerphilly; Marshala de Cordova, Battersea; Peter Dowd, Bootle; Rosie Nuffield, Canterbury; Clive Efford, Eltham; Yvonne
Fervargue, Makerfield; Barry Gardiner, Brent North; Kate Green, Strefford and Urmiston; Lilian Greenwood, Nottingham South; Margaret Greenwood, Wirral East; Andrew Gwynne, Denton and Reddish; Carolyn Harris, Swansea East; Helen Hayes Harman, Camberwell and Peckham; Rachel Hopkins. Luton South; Gerrard Howarth, Knowlsley; Rupa Huq, Ealing Southall; Dan Jarvis, Barnsley Central; Diana Johnson, Kingston upon Hull; Kim Johnson,Liverpool Riverside; Ruth Jones, Newport
Westmorland; Darren Jones, Bristol NW; Peter Kyle, Hove; Clive Lewis, Norwich South; Tony Lloyd, Rochdale; Rachel Maskell, York Central; Kerry McCarthy, Bristol East; Shobhain McDonagh, Mitcham and Morden; John McDonnell, Hayes and Harlington; Caroline McKinnell, Newcastle on Tyne; Graeme Morris, Easington; Ian Murray, Edinburgh South; Kate Osborne, Jarrow; Christine Rees, Neath
Bell Ribein-Addley, Streatham; Marie Remnir, St Helens South. & Whiston; Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Brighton Kemptown; Viranda Sharma, Ealing & Southall; Tulip Saddiq Hampstead and Kilburn; Andrew Slaughter, Hammersmith; Cat Smith, Lancaster; Alex Sobel, Leeds NW; Zarah Sultanna, Coventry South; Sam Terry, Ilford South; Stephen Timms, East Hammersmith; Derek Twigg, Halton; Liz Twist, Blaydon;
Caludia Webb, Leicester East; Alan Whitehead, Southampton Test; Mike Whitely, Birkenhead; Mohammad Yasin, Bedford.
If you are a Labour MP, why isn’t your name here?
Second Reading Friday 25th February 2022
Read the current version of the bill here
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UK to Zero 