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A new bill would give local people a bigger stake in solar and wind, and a way for community groups to sell power. What it means for Forest Row.
On 4 November 2026 the government introduced the Energy Independence Bill to Parliament. Some of its most important parts are about communities: who owns the clean power built around us, who benefits from it, and how local groups can sell the electricity they generate. Here is what it proposes, from the government's own factsheets, and what it could mean for Forest Row.
This is a bill, not yet law. Parliament may amend it, and many details will be set later in regulations made under it.
The government first proposed shared ownership rules in 2014, but they were never brought in, and offers to communities have mostly been voluntary. The bill would let the government require developers of renewable electricity projects of 1 megawatt or more to offer local people and community groups a stake. The shared ownership factsheet says the minimum offer could be set at up to the equivalent of 20 percent of a project's capital cost, compared with 5 percent under the existing rules, and could be offered to individuals or to groups connected with the community. Developers can always offer more.
A community energy group could use that right to invest in a project, with the income going to local priorities: cutting bills, or supporting schools, services and clubs.
Separately, operators of new onshore wind farms and ground-mounted solar farms over 5 megawatts in Great Britain would have to pay into community benefit funds. The government's community benefits factsheet gives its proposed rates as at least £5,000 per megawatt per year for onshore wind and £700 per megawatt per year for ground-mounted solar. These are "minded to" figures and may change. Communities would decide how the money is spent.
One of the hardest problems for small community schemes is selling the electricity they make. The supplier obligation factsheet notes that Smart Export Guarantee payments can be as low as 1p to 5p per kilowatt-hour. The bill would require large electricity suppliers to offer community energy groups set services, such as buying their electricity, or arrangements that let a group supply power directly to local homes. The factsheet does not yet say which suppliers count as "large" or when this would start.
Forest Row sits in the High Weald National Landscape, so large solar or wind farms close to the village are less likely than in some areas. The biggest local gain may be the supplier obligation: a clearer way for community-owned schemes, such as solar on community buildings or farm roofs, to sell their power to neighbours at a fair price. The shared ownership rules could also give residents and community groups across Wealden the chance to invest in larger projects nearby.
What looks promising
What to keep in mind
You do not need to wait for Parliament to make your home cheaper to run. Start with insulation and draught-proofing, check your Energy Performance Certificate on gov.uk, and see what support is open on our grants page. Weighing up solar or a heat pump? Our audited suppliers and installers list is a good place to start, and our free quotes and bills review will look over any quote. We will report each step of the bill that matters for Forest Row.