1. Opportunities and barriers for community energy Philip Wolfe Community Energy England CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201515-Sep-15

2. Community Energy England Founded June 2014 >180 members o 70% community energy groups o Leading renewable developers o Independent energy supplier o Local authorities, NGOs & others The voice of community energy o Join at: www.CommunityEnergyEngland.orgwww.CommunityEnergyEngland.org CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201525-Sep-15

3. Strengths of Community Energy Community energy is: inclusive, democratic, sustainable – and it shares the benefits It is not: remote, unresponsive, exploitative The government is nominally supportive There are tax and regulatory concessions There is a shared ownership protocol CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201535-Sep-15

4. The Shared Ownership Protocol Renewable energy projects; with a capital value over £2.5m; onshore (and optionally offshore); where they deliver energy to the grid; Submitted to planning after November 2014. CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201545-Sep-15 “We expect that by 2015 it will be the norm for communities to be offered the opportunity of some level of ownership of new, commercially developed onshore renewables projects”

5. Guidance on S C O protocol www.SCO-RES.uk How the protocol works Guidance for communities Guidance for developers Partner-finding service CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201555-Sep-15

6. Political obstacles Since the election: End to financial support for onshore wind Planning barrier for onshore wind End to financial support for large solar (Probable) end to pre-accreditation Major reductions to FiT rates Threatened end of FiTs in 2016 CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201565-Sep-15

7. Regulatory barriers & changes Energy sector: Lack of viable business models for EE & heat Inability to sell electricity to own members Difficulty in getting affordable grid connection Regulatory and fiscal: Crack-down by FCA on all mutual Refusal to register energy co-operatives EIS to close – migration to SITR CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201575-Sep-15

8. Proposed strategy Short-term: Defend FiTs and pre-accreditation Engage positively in shared ownership Help FCA understand community energy better Looking ahead: Plan for post-subsidy era for sustainable energy What can we do to get there faster? CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201585-Sep-15

9. Solar approaching grid parity CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 201595-Sep-15 © Wiki-Solar.org

10. Post-subsidy era for CE Tax concessions (SITR/EIS) for initial capital Direct energy supply to community members Pricing to reward saving; mitigate poverty Part of surplus used for energy efficiency Collaborate with local government on storage, energy management & grids … focus on renewables; not nuclear & fracking! CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 2015105-Sep-15

11. Opportunities and barriers for community energy Philip Wolfe Community Energy England CEE + Coop Energy - Community Energy Conference 2015115-Sep-15