Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network of more than 150 MPs and peers, said: “The growth in Britain’s renewable energy generation should be seen as one of the Conservatives’ proudest achievements over the last 13 years. It has not only brought new jobs to our industrial heartlands and protection from volatile fossil fuel markets but played a central role in reducing emissions and tackling climate change.
“However, we recognise the importance of bringing people with us and ensuring communities benefit from the move to renewable energy. That’s why incentivising, rather than coercing, communities should be at the heart of a conservative approach to climate change.
“Mandatory community benefits is a policy that Conservative MPs from across the party can get behind. By requiring energy companies to give communities incentives in return for hosting new electricity generation and transmission infrastructure, we will help create new economic opportunities, protect our heritage and do so in a way that brings communities with us.”