West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper has welcomed the ambitious announcement by the Government awarding cash rewards for households and communities who generate clean electricity and heating.

Rosie Cooper MP said: “I am delighted that the Government has taken steps to give businesses and the public incentive to tackle climate change.

“The Government rightly wants to reward home owners and communities who generate their own clean electricity on a smaller scale. Energy should not be the sole domain of large industry. This new scheme opens it up to more communities, businesses and individuals.

“I encourage all West Lancashire residents who are currently using clean electricity and doing their part to get involved in this new scheme to save some money. If you’re thinking about switching to a cleaner form of renewable energy, but think it might be too expensive, this should be the announcement you’ve been waiting for.”

From April, the scheme will provide a guaranteed financial return to people, communities and businesses who install and use clean electricity generation technologies up to 5 megawatts. Solar panels, small scale wind, and hydro generation are included in the list of possible sources of clean electricity.

The scheme means that people installing this kit will have a guaranteed source of income that can cover the upfront costs. They can also get lower energy bills because they need to buy less electricity from outside sources.

Rose Cooper MP continued: “This isn’t just good for householders and local communities that want to generate their own power. It will also create jobs both for manufacturers and installers.

“The shift to a low carbon economy in the North West could mean big changes for everyone in West Lancashire.”