The UK government has published a working paper seeking views on the design of a potential mandatory community benefits scheme for low carbon energy infrastructure and the facilitation of shared ownership for renewable generation infrastructure.
The paper covers the scope of such a scheme and how it would be administered and enforced.
It also examines how best to facilitate shared ownership of renewable generation infrastructure, including whether the powers in the Infrastructure Act 2015 should be exercised.
The document also contains questions on the rationale for intervention and the impacts of the policy.
Representative organisation RenewableUK said welcomed the move.
Its head of policy James Robottom said: “Renewable energy developers have a long history of providing a wide range of benefits for local communities, such as community benefit funds which support local initiatives, electricity discounts, employment initiatives and environmental projects.
“For example, the onshore wind industry currently invests about £75m a year in community benefit fund schemes throughout the UK.
“We welcome the Government’s consultation and will engage with it to ensure that the benefits received by local communities hosting energy infrastructure are proportionate and continue to meet their needs.
“Communities must remain at the heart of the decision-making process to determine what form these benefits should take.
“Flexibility is vital so that communities genuinely have the opportunity to shape these schemes to the priorities of their local area, which can vary widely from place to place.
“Renewable energy developers are good neighbours and remain committed to providing benefits at an appropriate level to enable local communities to thrive all over the country.”
The consultation runs here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-benefits-and-shared-ownership-for-low-carbon-energy-infrastructure until 16 July 2025.