ALL the signs are that replacing our large electricity companies, foreign owned, with more local neighbourhood renewable power production is the way forward, particularly if we wish to reduce the level of CO2 emissions.

Local schemes are popping up all over though changes to tax relief and subsidy support have reduced the number from 76 in 2015 to just ten in 2016. Apparently the money’s being diverted to seduce communities to support fracking with all its leaking carbon dioxide and methane.

Nottingham council, inspired by a famous local, has taken on the foreign companies, and decided to produce its own electricity, as all councils once did. Robin Hood Energy, a not for profit company, uses local resources including thousands of solar panels, incinerators and waste food plants as well as buying in from the national grid.

On a smaller scale Balcombe, in Sussex, rebelled against attempts to frack it and now proudly has 69 solar panels on a cowshed, with more on four schools and has recently extended the project with an extensive solar farm. Barton Moss, near Manchester, responded in the same way to the fracking threat, and now the local schools have solar arrays.

Plymouth Council supported local interest in renewables by the setting up the Plymouth Community Energy group. It’s now raised over £1 million of shares to install solar panels on 21 schools and community facilities, and their most recent venture, a solar farm, now produces enough electricity for 1,000 homes.

South East London Community Energy is following the same route, and closer to home the Calder valley is showing the way. With council backing a number of groups have set up small wind farms, and one is hoping to organise three small hydro electric schemes.

Disappointingly Bradford puts its man made moorland scenery before its remarkable potential for wind energy.