Community Energy: A new democratised energy system?

The UK energy sector has traditionally been one of large-scale centralised energy production by big companies, with households seen as passive consumers of energy at the end of wires. With the development of renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines and district heating, for example small-scale combined heat and power (CHP), there is greater opportunity for small-scale energy production where households and communities are becoming more active consumers and producers of energy. This has the potential for the energy system to become both decentralised and democratised, empowering individuals, households and communities to contribute to the decarbonisation of the energy sector.
This paper will explore how community energy through the decentralisation and democratisation of the energy system has the potential to be an important factor in supporting the decarbonisation of the system.