GB Energy Bill: Community Energy has made it into law!

I’m thrilled that Community Energy is now included in the Great British Energy Bill! This is a huge victory for local communities, giving them the power to generate and sell their own clean energy. The transition must be done with communities, not to them. 

In Scotland, some communities are already benefiting, and with this amendment, projects like the Kingsway Solar Farm could bring £2.5 million a year to local communities—funding home decarbonisation, better buses, and wildlife habitats. This is how clean energy works for people.

But while we celebrate progress, I must call out a major failure. The government refused to back Lords Amendment 2, which would cut GB Energy’s ties to supply chains linked to Uyghur forced labour. China produces 80% of the world’s solar panels, many tainted by forced labour. We must not look the other way.

Instead of relying on unethical supply chains, the UK should invest in homegrown solar manufacturing and ensure our clean energy transition is ethical and fair. GB Energy has the potential to create thousands of jobs, develop new skills, and drive a just transition.

The government must match words with action—supporting communities, securing ethical supply chains, and investing in Britain’s green future. Slavery belongs in the past—it must never tarnish our future.

Watch the video of Pippa speaking in the House of Commons below, or read the transcript at Hansard starting here