Strengthened partnership with Great British Energy to galvanise East Midlands energy revolution

Credit: Onclusive News

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Great British Energy (GBE), marking a major step forward for clean energy development in the region.

The delivery of clean and renewable energy projects will help lower bills, support inclusive economic growth, and contribute to regional and national climate goals.

The MoU sets out a shared commitment for EMCCA and GBE to work together to unlock investment in clean energy infrastructure, expand community-owned energy projects, and strengthen UK supply chains. Through this partnership, EMCCA will help align GBE’s national mission with the ambitious East Midlands Growth Plan.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “This agreement with Great British Energy is a major step forward that consolidates our position as a region at the forefront of the clean energy transition.

“The transition away from polluting fossil fuels will lower energy costs and create good local jobs: the things that matter to our residents and businesses. By working together with Great British Energy, we’re turning our growth ambitions into real projects that deliver for people and places across the East Midlands.”

EMCCA will work with GBE to position the East Midlands as a significant regional partner for the Local Power Plan, which has been published by Great British Energy and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The plan will set out a long-term vision for local and community energy and enable new projects across the UK. Alongside the plan, Great British Energy has announced the biggest public investment into community energy in history. These projects will support communities to cut bills and create revenue for places of worship, social clubs, and community centres.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Britain’s drive for clean energy is about answering the call for a different kind of economy that works for the many, not just the wealthy and powerful in our society. Local and community energy is at the heart of our government’s vision.

“With the biggest ever investment in community energy in Britain’s history, this government is saying to every local community: we want you to be able to own and control clean energy so the profits flow into your community not simply out to the big energy companies. 

“By giving local people the chance to take control of their energy, this government is making a fundamental choice to transfer wealth and power back to communities across Britain.” 

Great British Energy’s aims closely align with the East Midlands Growth Plan. EMCCA’s plan for the region positions clean energy generation, domestic retrofit, infrastructure investment and supply chain development as drivers of productivity, high-quality jobs, resilient public services and stronger regional industrial capability. Both organisations share a focus on public ownership, local delivery, community benefit, and place-based investment.

EMCCA is already delivering against its commitments to:

• Support up to 1GW of public sector and community energy projects;
• Coordinate local energy planning with retrofit and public estate decarbonisation;
• Reduce energy costs for public services and communities;
• Use its convening power to aggregate demand and unlock investment at scale.

Mayor Claire said: “The East Midlands has a strong heritage in powering our nation with our Megawatt Valley power stations historically delivering 25 per cent of the country’s electricity. Today, we have many active community energy groups working to develop clean energy projects, and we are well positioned to capitalise on the opportunities that clean and renewable energy projects can offer.”

The MoU also creates opportunities to work together on energy projects, including identifying suitable land for solar, wind and energy storage.

The partnership recognises the major opportunities for the East Midlands’ advanced manufacturing, engineering and logistics sectors through GBE’s £1 billion “Energy Engineered in the UK” programme. This aligns with priority growth sites in the East Midlands, including the East Midlands Investment Zone, Trent Supercluster, and the East Midlands Freeport.

EMCCA will work with GBE to position the region as a preferred destination for supply chain investment by aligning sites, skills, planning and infrastructure, and by building a strong pipeline of investable manufacturing and clean technology projects.

This MoU builds on a shared ambition to make the East Midlands a leading region for green growth. Mayor Claire has already secured more than £700,000 in grant funding from Great British Energy to support the delivery of a new solar farm in Derbyshire.

Derbyshire County Council will use the funding to develop a 3MW solar farm on reclaimed land at the former Williamthorpe Colliery near Chesterfield. Construction is due to be completed in spring 2026.

The site is expected to generate about 3 million kWh of electricity each year — enough to power more than 1,100 homes. Electricity will be exported to the grid and is expected to reduce the council’s energy bills by more than £100,000 per year, saving more than £3m over the lifetime of the project.