Feed in tariff schemes for small scale
renewable generation have been heavily criticized for being reverse Robin Hood
– taking from the poor and giving to the rich (see George Monbiot’s polemic in
the Guardian for a good example) but is this characterization fair?
In the case of the feed in tariffs, to
receive the feed in tariff you need to own a roof and have around $10,000 to
invest in the installation. These criteria clearly rule out most low income
people. In addition the tariffs are paid through increases in energy bills for
all consumers with those on the lowest incomes likely to suffer the impacts of
these raises the most. However, while in many ways astute, within this critique
one important fact is overlooked – people can act collectively. While the
lowest income people – often living in high density rented or social housing do
not as individuals have the material and financial assets needed, when acting as, for
example, a collective of residents in a tower block, they may.
Residents can group together to take
advantage of resources such as a shared roof to site a solar installation
significantly larger than most installations on individual residences. Because
the size of the installation and its potential revenue it is then possible to
get funding through the selling of shares to those both within and outside the
community. Residents will still reap the benefits of cheaper, low carbon energy
even if they do not own shares, and shareholders will receive a return on their
investment.
Through charities, social enterprises and
cooperatives, community energy projects have the potential to take advantage of
collective resources and harness the funding stream provided by the feed in
tariff in a way that will generate returns for those on low incomes. It is up
to local governments and community groups to facilitate the organization of
such projects and ensure that the green energy revolution need not be restricted
to the roof owning middle class.
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