New research from the North East and Yorkshire sets out how local authorities can put a price on carbon emissions and better integrate climate change in their everyday decision-making and service delivery.
Councils across the country have ambitious Net Zero targets but financial considerations and limits on resources and capacity often create obstacles to securing approval for the projects necessary to meet them.
Research funded by the Hub on behalf of the Hull and East Yorkshire Business, Growth and Skills Hub puts a financial value on the carbon emissions of local authority investments and service delivery in terms of the potential impact of climate change on their communities and future costs of decarbonisation – making it easier to make a case for Net Zero investments.
The report, delivered by independent experts Anthesis, can be read here –
Hull East Riding ICP Insetting Phase 1 Report
The Local Net Zero Hubs hosted a webinar to formally launch the research and showcase case studies from across the region. You can watch it here –
Putting Net Zero on the Balance Sheet – North East & Yorkshire Net Zero Hub (neynetzerohub.com)
The Local Energy North West Hub, one of the North East and Yorkshire sister Hubs, has created a set of shared resources for identifying and organising information relevant to the delivery of energy projects across England. It is intended for use by local energy hubs and the public sector organisations we support.
By raising awareness of best practice and funding options, and enabling programmes, this resource will help organisations drive public and private investment in clean energy infrastructure.
Download the REMINDERS resource document.
Energy Systems Catapult has published guidance on how to create a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP), aimed at local government organisations who are looking to implement practical measures to help them meet their net zero goals and climate emergency declarations.
A LAEP sets out the change required to transition an area’s energy system to Net Zero in a given timeframe. This is achieved by exploring potential pathways that consider a range of technologies and scenarios, and when combined with stakeholder engagement leads to the identification of the most cost-effective preferred pathway and a sequenced plan of proposed actions to achieving an area’s Net Zero goal.
The guidance can be accessed here.
Research from the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub will set out the skills and data local areas need to maximise the impact of their local Net Zero planning – and the digital tools which could help them.
The Hub commissioned the Energy Systems Catapult to produce a study into how Spatial and Temporal Modelling (STeM) can be deployed to help local authorities get the most out of their Local Area Energy Planning.
STEM offers a dynamic data-driven approach to local net zero which adapts to changing realities of places
Many local authorities don’t have the capacity to develop energy plans and commission consultants – but these reports can quickly go out of date when local authorities are unable to make their own updates.
The report – to be published in full on June 5th – sets out the crucial tools, data and skills for a STEM approach to give local areas a more informed picture of where they are on their net Zero journey – and what tools may assist them.
Spatial Temporal Modelling – Final Report
Commercial Landscape Crib Sheet
Stakeholder Engagement Crib Sheet
The Greater South East Net Zero Hub has recently published guidance for local authorities seeking to utilise Solar Photovoltaics (PV) to power non-residential properties. The guide sets out the delivery and investment options to secure renewable energy deployment, with a focus on Solar PV on third-party buildings and land. To find out more please check out the guidance below:
Great South East Net Zero Hub Solar PV Guidance (gsenetzerohub.org.uk)
NW Leisure Centre Guide to Solar PV
NW Leisure Centre Guide to Solar PV NW Schools Guide to Solar PV
The York and North Yorkshire LEP has developed a Net Zero Business Toolkit, which provides a range of information and tools to help businesses move towards net zero status.
This SME-focused toolkit has two stages – guidance to help businesses who are just getting started with their net-zero journey, and an in-depth carbon footprint calculator for those who are looking for more information to plan for the future. The toolkit is completely free to access, and aims to make sustainability simple and accessible for businesses of all sectors and sizes.
For more information and to apply, please visit the website below:
Net-Zero Business Toolkit – Y&NY Growth Hub (ynygrowthhub.com)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), in collaboration with the Green Finance Institute (GFI), has recently published a report entitled Mobilising Net Zero Investments: Challenges and opportunities for local authority financing. The report details the critical role of local authorities in delivering on the Net Zero agenda, with 82% of current emissions falling within local authorities’ sphere of influence. It recommends that a single gateway of support outlining available public funding to be established, drawing on the resource of existing stakeholders such as the GFI, as well as more newly-established bodies such as the UK Infrastructure Bank. To read the report in full please follow the link below:
UKRI Mobilising Local Net Zero Investments report (ukri.org)
The North East LEP recently published a feasibility study into the use of mine-water based energy schemes. The report details the benefits and opportunities associated with the development of mine energy, making the case for targeted interventions to support mine energy activity across the UK.
You can read the full report at the link below:
Hull-based energy consultancy Nordic Energy have been commissioned by Bridgend County Borough Council to produce a toolkit of learning from it’s Caerau Energy project, intended to assist future projects looking to utilise the heat source present in former mine workings.
The toolkit includes guides on:
You can find the toolkit here.
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub hosted an online webinar setting out the government’s plans to accelerate the development of new heat networks through heat network zoning alongside case studies of successful projects from the region.
Hosted by Tees Valley Combined Authority, Teesside Airport, St George Way, Darlington, DL2 1LU
