EDM 1246: Community Energy Pathways and the King’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise

That this House congratulates Community Energy Pathways (CEP), a not-for-profit community energy social enterprise based in Lewes, East Sussex, on being awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise; notes that this award reflects two years of rigorous due diligence by the King’s Fund, acknowledging CEP’s outstanding contribution to empowering communities to deliver locally-owned, low-carbon energy solutions; recognises CEP’s work in supporting over 60 community energy groups across 15 counties and towns, as well as the successful securing of £1 million from UK Power Networks to expand its reach to 20,000 people and facilitate over 1,200 in-person home energy visits; commends the organisation’s innovative Energy Champions programme, which creates local jobs and equips residents with the knowledge and tools to cut energy costs and carbon emissions; further notes that community energy enjoys significantly greater public support than privately-owned alternatives, as evidenced by recent polling from Common Wealth; and calls on the Government to provide greater support to the community energy sector to accelerate the just transition to a low-carbon economy, reduce household energy bills, and strengthen local resilience and ownership of the UK’s energy future.