Local government workers are calling for more to be done to clear barriers to decarbonisation, with renewable energy projects facing increasing pressure due to financial strain and a gap in technical understanding.

A new report from Commercial Services Group, based on structured roundtables involving 35 participants from 32 local authorities across England and Wales, reveals that despite progress in the pursuit of transition, more needs to be done to deliver on project ambitions.

National infrastructure barriers were further highlighted as a limitation for local authority developments, with inadequate space on the National Grid to facilitate new connections. Market volatility, driven by geopolitical uncertainty, were also flagged as causing delays and disruption to projects, risking energy security instability.

Crucially, participants, including officers and cabinet members across leadership, environment, energy, and climate roles, said more investment is needed to build the internal infrastructure needed to support complex energy programmes, including skills, capacity and organisational integration.

Eamon Grimes, Managing Director at LASER Energy, part of Commercial Services Group, said: 
“Progress for viable renewable energy projects depends on supporting councils with access to commercial and technical expertise. A whole system approach that embraces stronger cross-council collaboration and enables strategic, long-term planning will be key to deliver the government’s Clean Power 2030 ambitions and the Local Power Plan. Collaboration and forward planning is particularly critical in the context of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in the coming years.”

Grid capacity was highlighted to be one of the most consistent and acute barriers to deliver on renewable energy projects, and even when funding and political support exist for a project, they are frequently unable to proceed due to connection constraints, high costs, and long delays.

Eamon continued: 
“These issues clearly point to a fundamental misalignment between local ambition and national policy and infrastructure. Councils cannot deliver on their targets alone and the UK Government must commit to improving infrastructure and funding to help get these critical projects off the ground and support the longer-term UK energy transition.”

Jon Gleek, Head of Research and Policy at the Local Government Information Unit, said: 
“The vast majority of local authorities remain committed to the energy transition. However, the challenge is no longer ambition, but an increasingly difficult operating environment that jeopardises progress towards decarbonisation targets.” 

Despite ongoing funding and infrastructure challenges, solar energy projects have emerged as a central component of local energy strategies due to their alignment with financial realities. However, the research highlights that wider system constraints, including fragmented funding, capacity issues and policy uncertainties, continue to limit its potential and more can be done to leverage the opportunity that projects like solar rooftops can provide.

Jon added: 
“Local authorities are also adapting how they engage residents, focusing on the tangible benefits decarbonisation can deliver to communities, like lower heating bills, warmer homes and protecting local environments. Continuing to build public consensus is essential if councils are to successfully deliver their energy strategies, grow support and bring their communities with them on this journey.”

LASER Energy is part of the Commercial Services Group, wholly owned by Kent County Council. Established over 30 years ago, LASER manages more than £500 million in annual energy spend for public sector customers across the UK and is a leading specialist in public energy procurement, renewable strategy, and net zero delivery.

KeyFacts Energy: Renewable Energy news