The government’s energy price cap is a quick fix and not a sustainable way to reduce bills and drive clean, green growth.

That’s according to the Northern Energy Taskforce, which says the right way to reduce the cost of energy and make the market fairer across the country is by devolving power away from the Big Six and giving it to local communities.

The organisation suggests stripping the biggest suppliers of energy efficiency responsibilities and handing councils and smaller energy networks opportunities and funding to help make local homes and businesses greener with distributed solar generation.

It also calls for the North of England to be given responsibility for its share of the UK’s carbon budget in a bid to help it boost industry and incentivise green growth opportunities.

The group says a new Northern Energy Accelerator to fund research and innovative green projects would help create 100,000 jobs and add £15 billion a year to the northern economy.

Sir John Harman, Chair of the Northern Energy Taskforce, said: “If government is going to make further progress on the Paris Agreement, it requires a step-change in its approach.

“If it’s serious about spreading growth across the country, while meeting decarbonisation goals, the government must take this issue seriously and give the North of England real powers to kickstart a local energy revolution.”