Stroud 'Solar Summit'

Nothing beats a good face-to-face discussion, and we were delighted to be included in the Stroud Solar Summit, organised by the Big Solar Co-op, at the Subscription Rooms in Stroud.

The meeting brought together Jon Halle and Dean Hill from Big Solar Co-op, Simon Opher MP for Stroud, Peter Boait and Rob Jones from Gloucestershire Community Energy Co-op (GCEC), Jess Farr, Margaret Davies, and Sally Thorpe from Stroud Area Community Energy Network (SACEN), and Chole Turner, Leader of Stroud District Council. Our Chair, Helen Jeffrey, represented FCE at the meeting.

Simon took our feedback on the Local Power Plan back to discuss with the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero/Great British Energy, in particular, details on timelines and delivery, to avoid creating a big delay in progress while we wait. Peter offered to meet with the Treasury to help clarify the financial position regarding community energy and schools.

It was great to get a government perspective from Simon, and to share the community energy position with him. We also discussed other ongoing challenges:

• Procurement rules that mean Local Authorities cannot easily access community energy projects, and thus miss the social benefits
• The planning landscape, which favours large commercial developers
• The issues that the ongoing Local Government Reorganisation raise in Gloucestershire

A follow-up meeting is planned to keep moving the discussion forward.