Little wonders

GUSTY GIZMO is one of five oddly-named wind turbines in an Oxfordshire field. They were not christened by an energy firm, but by locals who bought shares worth £4.6m ($7.6m) to build them. In 2008 Westmill wind farm was among the first in Britain to be wholly owned by a co-operative; it remains the largest. But not, many hope, for long.

In Germany local people hold stakes in about 40% of renewable generation. In Britain almost all of it is owned by big businesses. In 2010 the coalition government—then touting plans for a “big society” of active communities—promised support for groups that build their own low-carbon generators. On January 27th it tried to deliver the goods.

Community groups hope that having their own wind, solar and hydro projects will help cut carbon emissions and bring in cash for neighbourhood causes or for more green schemes. The government sees a chance to further national goals. A green-minded electorate is less likely to oppose big renewable developments and more likely to tolerate the impact of environmental policies, such as rising bills.

Though full of ideas, the government’s new strategy is light on commitments. It will provide more cash to help locals scope out new proposals. It will examine ways to cut the cost of grid connections (unlike big firms, community groups cannot scour the country for sites that are cheap to plug in). Ministers want to help local generators supply their neighbours directly, and warn they may force big developers to offer residents a stake in renewable projects.

Yet even if locally-owned generators succeed in making residents richer and more tightly knit, they will not make the country very much greener. Optimists argue that having lots of small generators will one day cut power costs and increase security of supply. But for the moment the little installations that many locals covet are hardly ever more efficient than big wind and solar farms.

Community groups are good at some things. Exhaustive door-knocking is the best way to encourage homeowners to install insulation and energy-saving gadgets, for example. The government estimates that participants in communal switching schemes, in which neighbours change supplier together, can save £131 per year. Though less striking than a field full of turbines, the payoff is rather swifter.