Election Manifesto's
Carbon Brief have provided a handy table on what the 2017 Election Manifesto's have to say about Energy & Climate Change. We've pulled out the specific commitments to both renewables and community energy for each party:
Conservative
Renewables: We want to see a diverse range of sources for Britain’s energy production, because a diverse energy economy is the best way to stimulate innovation, and also to ensure that we are getting the right generation in the right place. For instance, while we do not believe that more large-scale onshore wind power is right for England, we will maintain our position as a global leader in offshore wind and support the development of wind projects in the remote islands of Scotland, where they will directly benefit local communities…[We will] explore ways to harness Welsh natural resources for the generation of power.
Community Energy: No mention
Labour
Renewables: Ensure that 60% of the UK's energy comes from zero-carbon or renewable sources by 2030…Take energy back into public ownership to deliver renewable energy…
Community Energy: Supporting the creation of publicly owned, locally accountable energy companies and co-operatives to rival existing private energy suppliers, with at least one if every region
Liberal Democrats
Renewables: We will expand renewable energy, aiming to generate 60% of electricity from renewables by 2030, restoring government support for solar PV and onshore wind in appropriate locations (helping meet climate targets at least cost) and building more electricity interconnectors to underpin this higher reliance on renewables.
Community Energy: We will expand community energy schemes, encourage councils to develop community energy-saving projects and local electricity generation, and promote city-scale demonstration projects in electric vehicles and clean energy.
Green
Renewables: End the effective ban on onshore wind – the cheapest form of new electricity generation – and introducing new support for onshore wind and solar-photovoltaics; scaling up investment in offshore wind and marine renewables.
Community Energy: We will require grid operators to give priority access to community energy projects, and pioneer a new Community Energy Tool Kit to empower local communities to create energy and municipal heating projects in every town and city.
Plaid
Renewables: Wales [can be] self-sufficient in electricity from renewables and powering ahead with world-leading tidal energy technology... Plaid Cymru MPs, along with representatives in the Welsh Assembly, have spearheaded campaigns for 100% of our electricity to be generated by renewables by 2035.
Community Energy: We will create a Welsh energy company, to use profit from Welsh resources to cut the cost of energy for Welsh consumers and shifting to decentralised and distributed networks.