Co-operatives UK backs call for Energy Bill CO2 target

Co-operatives UK are calling for a clear carbon reduction target for the electricity sector within the Energy Bill. The organisation represents 35 renewable energy co-operatives and businesses pushing forward with renewable energy.

The organisation is in support of an amendment to the Energy Bill recently discussed. The amendment, which has received cross-party support, will see a 2030 CO2 target introduced in 2014. The amendments also required the Government to seek the advice of the Committee on Climate Change.

The reason Co-operatives UK has called for changes to the Bill is to allow for fairer access to the market for co-operative community energy schemes. The Energy Bill currently has an upper Feed-in-Tariff limit of 5MW. Co-operatives UK wants to raise this to 20MW for community schemes.

Head of Policy at Co-operatives UK, John Goodman said:

“Climate change and global warming are one of the biggest challenges the world faces and reducing the UK’s CO2 emissions is vital. The Energy Bill must put in place a deadline to agree a target for CO2 reduction in the UK. Community energy schemes, many of them co-operatively owned, provide an important way to produce clean, sustainable energy. Setting the Feed-in-Tariff threshold too low would hamper innovative community energy schemes.” Founder of Brixton Energy Co-operative, Agamemnon Otero supported:

“We look to government to provide clear signals to our supporters that renewables are a good investment. A firm decarbonisation target, and mechanisms to make sure that smaller players can access the energy market, are crucial to this. With government backing, we can open up the energy market and connect people to their power.”