SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

Small may very well be beautiful in relation to energy in Germany (2012), 22% of the countries energy came from small scale green entrepreneurs.  Community co-operatives (both urban and rural), farmers and homeowners are part of the 1.3 million renewable energy producers. Small scale electricity generation is having a knock on effect; the energiewende is encouraging change throughout the energy system. In Berlin a community cooperative Is aiming to take control of the capital's electricity grid with some 35,000 km of underground cables. Co-operative members have taken on the established energy companies and are attempting to fight off the Chinese state grid which is trying to get a foothold in the German energy market. Around 1,300 Berliners have invested their cash in the venture. This is grass roots energy generation that has potentially the power (no pun intended) to change the nature of the energy supply system (in Germany and elsewhere). They aim to build an energy grid that is better handle the rise of green power and allows local use of locally produced energy. This development is a million kilometres away from the so called ‘Free market’ for energy that exists in the UK, which is pretty much dominated by the ‘Big 6’ energy cartel members. With the way the current monopoly is set up, it is difficult to imagine ‘Government’ at any level in the UK buying into the concept, let alone the practicalities and possibilities of genuine community owned and community beneficial energy generation projects even crossing the collective mind of Westminster and Whitehall.