Andy Carter praised for supporting local energy plans

Mr Carter leant his backing to the proposed new law aimed at helping community energy schemes, which have seen almost no growth in recent years.

Community energy – renewable energy generated by community-owned and run projects – accounts for less than 0.5 per cent of total UK electricity generation capacity.

Mr Carter has been praised for backing local energy (Image: Parliament UK)

However, a Parliamentary group has said that with the right funding, the sector could grow by up to 30 times its current size by 2030.

Power for People is a campaign group that backs the proposals, and the group has praised Warrington South's Conservative MP for backing the energy plan.

The group's director, Steve Shaw, said: "We thank Andy Carter for supporting community energy and the Local Electricity Bill in Parliament.

"If made law, it would unleash the huge potential for new community-owned clean energy that would be cheaper, make our energy system more robust and bring knock-on local economic benefits to our towns, villages and cities."

The recent Net Zero review, authored by Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP and commissioned by the Government, affirmed 'the community energy sector has been relatively neglected by government' with its leading recommendation to address this be that the 'Government should commit to the Local Electricity Bill that would enable community energy projects to provide energy directly to local households and businesses.'

Andy Carter said: "I am pleased to support the Local Electricity Bill, which will empower and enable new community energy companies to sell the energy they generate directly to local people, helping to strengthen our local economy.

"I call on the Government to support it too, such as by including its measures in the Energy Bill currently progressing through Parliament."

Want the pick of the Warrington Guardian news delivered to your inbox every morning? Click here to sign up