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Author
Archie Baugh
Archie is a Year 13 student at Wellington College in Reading, studying the International Baccalaureate and doing his higher levels in Politics, Maths and Economics. He enjoys playing sports like hockey and rugby, as well as playing the guitar and going cycling. Noticing the wide-scale energy shortages and witnessing local solar farms and energy grids failing to channel their benefits back into the communities they serve, Archie was inspired to develop a policy framework for increasing community energy systems.
Politika Competition: 'Power to the People - A National Community Energy Ownership Programme'
This blog was taken from a policy idea shortlisted for the POLITIKA policy competition -
The UK’s energy system is broken. Households face soaring bills while profits flow to distant shareholders, leaving local people excluded from the benefits of renewable energy. Community-owned energy makes up less than 1% of UK generation, compared with 52% in Denmark and 43% in Germany. This proposal sets out a National Community Energy Ownership Programme (NCEOP) to give local communities control over renewable power production; turning energy infrastructure from a burden into an asset.
Under the plan, households could save an estimated £300–£500 annually on energy bills, with billions reinvested into local services. By 2035, the goal is to create 2,000 community projects delivering 20GW of capacity; enough to power 12 million homes and create around 50,000 jobs. More than a climate policy, this is about energy democracy: aligning the UK’s net-zero goals with community prosperity, rebuilding social trust, and accelerating renewable adoption.
Issue Description
Britain’s energy crisis goes beyond high costs; it is structural. Corporate dominance means that profit and power are centralised, while communities bear the environmental and financial costs. Millions now face energy poverty, and even where renewable infrastructure exists, local residents rarely benefit. For example, a solar farm local to me in Hampshire supplies no local homes, its energy instead sold elsewhere by large corporations. This alienates communities and fosters resistance to new renewable projects, slowing deployment.
The UK must add 170GW of renewable capacity by 2035 to meet net-zero targets, yet progress lags. Countries like Denmark and Germany demonstrate that community ownership accelerates growth. Denmark’s island of Samsø achieved 100% renewable electricity by the early 2000s and now exports energy for profit. In Germany, citizens and cooperatives own about 47% of renewable capacity, with over 1,000 local energy cooperatives. The UK, by contrast, still treats communities as obstacles rather than partners; undermining climate goals and social cohesion.
Proposal
The National Community Energy Ownership Programme would restructure Britain’s energy system around democratic, local ownership.
Regulatory Reform: Projects under 10MW would receive “fast-pass” planning approval and guaranteed grid connection within 12 months. New community energy companies would operate under simplified governance to reduce start-up barriers.
Financial Model: A £2 billion Community Energy Investment Fund would provide low-interest loans, while Community Energy Bonds offer citizens decent returns, keeping profits local. Revenue-sharing agreements ensure that a large amount of earnings go directly to community services and reinvestment.
Support System: Regional Community Energy Hubs would provide technical support in partnership with Community Energy England and local councils, while training programmes develop local management and maintenance skills.
Grid Integration: Local trading systems would allow communities to sell surplus energy to neighbours at fixed rates, maximising local benefit. The programme aims to reach 2,000 projects by 2035, from small solar farms to large wind cooperatives.
Implementation
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, alongside the Department for Levelling Up, would oversee the rollout.
Phase One (Year 1): Pass enabling legislation, launch 10 pilot hubs with £500m investment, and establish standard frameworks.
Phase Two (Years 2–5): Expand to 50 hubs and 500 projects by 2029, reaching 2,000 projects and 20GW capacity by 2035. The total £2.8bn budget includes £2bn for the investment fund, £200m for technical support, £100m for training, and £500m for smart grid upgrades.
Conclusion
Awareness remains a key barrier with few people even knowing these initiatives exist. Education and recognition must increase so communities can seize this opportunity. Community energy ownership represents a major step toward energy democracy; empowering citizens to lead the clean energy transition while ensuring the benefits stay local. By putting renewable power in the hands of the people, Britain can achieve decarbonisation through unity, fairness, and shared prosperity.
