Generating hope, locally: why community collaboration is key to net zero

What if your local library could help to power your neighbour’s home? Or your child’s school could provide a charging hub for the growing number of electric cars?

Across the UK, community spaces are fast becoming energy players in their own right – generating, storing and even selling clean power. But to turn these ideas into action, we need a new model of partnership: one where local ambition meets long-term investment.

A new report from think-tank Localis, makes the case for just that – arguing that councils can’t go it alone on the road to net zero. Real progress means forging smarter, place-based collaborations between local government, business and the communities they serve.

Commissioned by E.ON, the report argues that for Local Power Plans to succeed, we must embrace long-term collaboration that brings together both public and private sectors. These new partnerships must reflect the places themselves – there is no one-size-fits-all for villages, towns and cities in different parts of the country – and be built on shared goals to unlock investment, innovation and trust.

At E.ON, we already see this happening. One standout example is our 15-year strategic energy partnership with Coventry City Council. Together, we’re deploying domestic batteries to financially vulnerable homes at no upfront cost. The goal is to move away from one-off cash grants when people are struggling and instead develop a long-term solution that reduces bills and builds financial resilience for the long term, and at the same time supporting a local supply chain of energy installers and tech providers.

Repurposing legacy infrastructure for a new energy era

Innovation also means rethinking the spaces we already have. In South Wales, we’re helping to revitalise the former Uskmouth coal-fired power station into a clean energy hub. Working with global investment manager Quinbrook we’re building a 230MW battery storage facility that will help to balance supply and demand on the power grid and support the transition to renewables. It’s a powerful symbol of what the net zero shift looks like in practice: turning the past into a platform for the future.

Elsewhere, we’re delivering the UK’s largest roof-mounted solar installation at the Port of Liverpool, with 63,000 solar panels being fitted across the site in partnership with Peel Group. Projects like this not only cut carbon, they also signal a shift in how industry, land use, and energy policy intersect at a local level.

Flexibility and fairness at the heart of reform

As the Localis report states, one of the key challenges facing local authorities is that they are often expected to lead on energy policy without the funding or expertise to do so effectively. A clearer framework is needed, one that allows councils to sit at the centre of local decision-making but working with finance and technology partners to develop long-term horizons.

A national framework for local delivery

The Localis report outlines a plan of moving from fragmented delivery to a joined-up strategy:

• Strategic procurement frameworks that give councils confidence to invest long-term
• Flexibility reforms that enable local areas to respond to supply and demand dynamically
• Shared data platforms to improve grid transparency and local planning
• Investment in skills and capacity within local authorities themselves

At E.ON, we are ready to work with national and local government, community groups, and other businesses to help shape and deliver this next chapter. Because local energy isn’t just about where we generate power – it’s about where we generate hope, opportunity, and a fairer future.