Community green energy needs 'lighter regulation' to grow

Local community-owned electricity suppliers are determined to play their part in Ireland's journey towards energy autonomy, says Gregg Allen of Community Power in Tipperary

Nenagh-based Community Power purchases clean renewable electricity generated from micro wind, solar, biogas and hydro plants around the country and sells it on to its customers, some of whom are also shareholders in the company.

The CEO of Ireland’s first community-owned electricity supplier would like to see “lighter regulation” for small community-owned supply companies. 

Gregg Allen says that Nenagh-based Community Power effectively has to meet the same regulatory challenges as Electric Ireland, or any of the large utility companies, even though they have a much smaller customer base.