BEIS Local Energy Team

We are the Local Energy Team and we sit within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

What is local energy we hear you say?

When we say ‘local energy’ we refer to all energy projects that are led by local organisations (public, private, third sector) for local benefit. All aspects of collective action to reduce, purchase, manage and generate energy are included within ‘local energy.’

Local energy projects will bring wide-ranging benefits to your local area

Local action is important to deliver the emissions reductions committed to under the Climate Change Act. Many of the changes needed to transform our energy system will be made locally, by residents, communities, businesses and public sector. Local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are able to play a vital role in coordinating, facilitating and delivering the transformation of our energy system.

More About Us

The BEIS Local Energy Team was established to support LEPs and local authorities in England to play a leading role in delivering low-carbon economic growth. Our Local Energy Programme has been designed to support the capacity and capability of LEPs and other local organisations.

Many LEPs and local authorities have already committed to their own ambitious energy and carbon targets, however progress in delivering local energy investment varies significantly across the country.

As part of the Local Energy Programme, funding has been offered to all LEPs in England to develop an energy strategy for the local area. The Local Energy Team has also funded a range of projects to develop good practice tools and resources, including a carbon monitoring and reporting tool, a cost benefit analysis methodology for energy projects, and health and fuel poverty good practice resources.

Are you a Local Enterprise Partnership or Local Authority?

This is a web-based platform which allows us to work closely with you and we are keen to hear from you! Our new Huddle workspace will enable you to;

• Ask questions, get advice and share information with other LEPs and local authorities
• Share documents and communicate easily and securely with the Local Energy Team
• Keep up to date with news and events
• And much more!

Joining our workspace

To join our workspace, please send an email request to localenergy@beis.gov.uk.

Join today and help us shape policy to achieve our vision of creating an economy that works for everyone.

Please note that Huddle membership is limited to employees of national government, local authorities and LEPs only.

What We Do

The Local Energy Programme at BEIS is specifically designed to support LEPs, local authorities and other local organisations to realise their local energy ambitions. We do this by:

• Working directly with local partners, particularly to build the opportunities for local action across the full range of energy and low carbon objectives.
• Facilitating the delivery of national energy objectives at the local level and to provide a route into government.
• Utilising our knowledge of local energy and low carbon activities across England to manage a range of local policies and support projects.
• Working closely with colleagues across energy policy teams internally within BEIS and with colleagues across government.
• Collecting and collating information on: energy and carbon strategies; local commitments and aspirations; projects completed and in the pipeline, barriers to delivery; and local strengths and weaknesses.
• Working to address key barriers including local engagement, finance, procurement and communications.
• Signposting to existing government support and resources, e.g. Re:fit, Salix, Heat Networks Delivery Unit, and the Energy Company Obligation, along with support provided by intermediaries such as the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE).

Local Energy Hubs

We have launched a £4.8 million programme to finance five Local Energy Hubs across England. Each Hub will be hosted by a lead local authority and will work with LEPs and local authorities across a given region, as set out in the following table:

Each Hub will have a small team of energy project managers led by a regional coordinator, with access to technical, legal and financial expertise, in some cases via call-off contracts with consultants. These teams will provide practical support and expertise to LEPs and local authorities to help them undertake the initial stages of development for priority energy projects, up to the point where they are able to secure finance. The approach to creating the Hubs, including the geography for each region and the host authority, was agreed in consultation with all LEPs across England.

As part of the Local Energy Programme we have allocated £1.6 million in 2017 to support all LEPs across England to develop an energy strategy for the local area.

For more information on the Hubs, please contact: localenergy@beis.gov.uk

Local Energy in Action

As a fundamental element of communities, energy features in all of our daily lives and underpins much of our economy.

Local organisations have taken control to boost renewable generation, improve energy security, reduce energy bills and support community economies by seizing opportunities to get involved with their energy supply. They have provided an alternative to the big utility companies and provided the opportunity for local businesses, organizations and people to control their energy usage.

Take a look at our case studies for more information on innovative energy schemes local organisations like yours have developed.

Re-opening of the Rural Community Energy Fund!

The Rural Community Energy Fund has now re-opened! This is a funding scheme to support rural communities in your region develop renewable energy projects, which provide economic and social benefits to the community. RCEF provides grants for feasibility studies to test out project ideas, and if viable, an additional grant for business development and planning of schemes. RCEF is being ran through the BEIS Local Energy Programme, and the 5 regional Local Energy Hubs. If you would like to know more about the scheme, please find further information here.