Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they envisage for the cooperative model in renewable energy.

The Government recognises the role that the cooperative model can play in the UK’s renewable energy system and in helping to meet our target of net zero emission by 2050. The £10m Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) provides grant funding support to rural communities in England many of whom are co-operatives. RCEF grants cover the early development costs of local renewable energy projects that provide economic and social benefits to the community. There is also a range of support for power, heat and transport projects that are available to co-operatives who are developing net zero energy projects such as the Smart Export Guarantee, the Renewable Heat Incentive and the electric vehicle Workplace Charging Scheme.