Councils ready to usher in 'brave new world' of renewable energy, but Local
Government Association warns members will need funding to drive renewables
revolution
Councils are hugely enthusiastic at the prospect of generating and selling
renewable energy, but they will not be able to deliver green energy projects
without improved easy access to funding and better information about local
renewables potential.
That was the message from the Local Government Association (LGA) at an event
in London this morning on how the public sector can take advantage of recent
changes in legislation that allow councils to sell energy back to the grid.
Councils are already entitled to keep the business rates of any energy
generation they own and following last week's spending review they have been
granted more power to raise their own revenues from green energy projects.
Although the proposed changes to legislation are yet to be finalised, the
Read more at www.businessgreen.com
reforms raise the possibility of local authorities setting themselves up as
proxy energy companies or working with the private sector to operate localised
renewable energy generation.
