"Local Energy Revolution" in the UK?

Ed Miliband, energy and climate change secretary in the UK, is outlining plans this week to start a “local energy revolution” in the UK.

This system would make it easier for local councils to generate electricity and sell it to the grid. It allows them to individually or jointly form renewable energy companies

This builds on a coming and much-anticipated feed-in tariff incentive scheme for the country.

“Under the plan, a dedicated support service would also be formed to help councils, co-operatives, social enterprises and community groups to invest in local renewable energy schemes,” James Murray of BusinessGreen reports.

“It’s a great idea – it takes us back to the days of Joseph Chamberlain’s municipal society,” Sir Jeremy Beecham, chairman of the Local Government Association Labour Group, told The Guardian. “Councils own a lot of buildings including schools – and have to bring down emissions… One way is to let them have the power, like local communities now have, to make energy and if they have any left over, they feed it back to the grid.”

A formal announcement about this scheme is expected early this week.

Another great step forward for more localized energy!

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