For a period this year, all of our lives became smaller.
As the pandemic developed, we quickly realised that when our
systems are under stress we rely on those in closest proximity.
When national institutions falter, geography matters. Our
communities mattered.
Localism as a force of innovation
In 2020 we saw localism emerge as a force of innovation in the
low carbon sector. Community groups, local authorities,
housing associations and innovative private sector companies are
collaborating to take control of local energy generation and
supply, matching local energy supply and demand using digital
technology.
The problems in our electricity system are well-known. Capacity
on the grid is constrained by the cost and difficulty of
reinforcing a UK-wide network designed to transport power from a
handful of large power stations to our homes and businesses. Grid
connection costs for new generation projects can be prohibitive,
particularly for island and rural
