The Economic Case for Renewable Energy in Reform UK-controlled Authorities

Since May 2025, Reform UK has taken control of ten local authorities. These new administrations have frequently espoused anti-net zero rhetoric, withdrawn climate commitments, and made promises to block new renewable energy projects navigating the planning system.

In response to this growing challenge to the industry, and with Reform UK tipped to have another strong set of local elections in May, Alpaca Communications and Third Revolution Projects have set out to demonstrate the economic case for renewables and how this can inform engagement with Reform UK-controlled local authorities.

The report, produced jointly with Third Revolution Projects, quantifies the positive economic impacts of recently consented utility-scale renewable energy projects located in those local authorities. It argues that this evidence - on job creation, gross value add (GVA) to the local economy - can be used to counter anti-net zero narratives by making a clear economic case for renewable energy, thereby supporting project delivery in an increasingly hostile planning environment.

The report has found that across the ten authorities analysed, utility-scale solar and BESS projects (>5MW) consented between 2021 and 2025 will over their lifetimes:

·       Contribute a £19.4bn GVA to the local economy

·       Produced 133,653 years of employment during construction

·       Created 2,525 permanent jobs during the infrastructure’s operational phases

You can download and read the full report here.

For more information or media enquiries, please contact Alex Rowntree at alex.rowntree@alpacacommunications.com