LONDON, 18 October 2024 — In a week of summits, local leaders from across the UK gathered yesterday for a critical event aimed at powering up Britain's ambitious clean energy superpower mission.

The UK100 Local Leaders: Clean Energy Superpower Summit, held at County Hall, London, brought together national and local government representatives alongside community and national energy sector leaders to accelerate the clean energy rollout.

It featured keynote speakers Tom Hayes MP, National Mission Champion for Energy; Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy; and Emma Pinchbeck, who has just been announced as the new Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee.

Addressing the clean energy challenge

The summit served as the launch event for UK100's flagship "Local Net Zero 2.0: The Moment To Deliver" report and marked the unveiling of a groundbreaking Charter of Collaboration between local and national government.

The Charter, now open for local leaders across the country to sign, aims to foster stronger partnerships and align efforts in the clean energy transition.

Signatory Cllr Dan De'Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport, Cardiff Council, highlighted the significance of the Charter, stating: "The Charter for Collaboration represents a fundamental opportunity to tackle technical and non-technical barriers to accelerating clean energy delivery, in a synchronised way, across all levels of government."

The Charter aims to address the daunting energy challenges revealed in the "Local Net Zero 2.0" report, including electricity demand set to surge 64% by 2035, a need to triple onshore wind and quintuple solar capacity, and renewable projects facing up to 15-year grid connection delays.

Among the recommendations in the report and reflected in the Charter are:

1. Implementing a national framework for Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP), backed by dedicated funding from Great British Energy.
2. Removing planning barriers for renewables and new technologies to accelerate deployment.
3. Developing a collaborative grid expansion plan that prioritises local community engagement and benefit.
4. Reforming social housing retrofit funds to catalyse sector-wide transformation.
5. Making it a strategic priority for Skills England to support the development of the construction industry to deliver Net Zero homes.

Speaking at the summit, Christopher Hammond, Chief Executive of UK100, said:

"Decarbonising the grid will be the biggest infrastructure investment in the UK since the Second World War. It may be disruptive, but it doesn't have to be destructive. The role of local authorities and their recognition as invaluable partners is continually growing in the energy sector. Local, smart and decentralised grids can’t be done without the efforts of local leaders and the buy-in of the residents they serve. But local leaders can't win support for these projects on goodwill alone. Communities that host infrastructure need a share in the economic return.” 

On the scale of the infrastructure challenge, Hammond adds: “We need to move beyond simplistic NIMBY or YIMBY frames — which will only feed polarisation in charged times. There are those waiting in the wings, ready to weaponise frustrations for political gain.”

Emma Pinchbeck, the incoming Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee, but speaking as the current Chief Executive of Energy UK, also emphasised the need for rapid infrastructure development:

"We need to build around five times the amount of infrastructure over the next seven years as we have built in the previous three decades. We need to grow the power sector two to three times by 2050 and that is because we're expecting consumers to be using electric vehicles, to be using heat pumps."

Pinchbeck also stressed the importance of public engagement, particularly regarding new infrastructure:

"We are going to need to build some pylons. We are going to have to build some pylons in places where people don't want pylons. We’re going to need to put them in the right places, of course. We’re going to need to minimise the amount of building we do, being as efficient as possible. We’re going to need to think about community benefits because the fact is that some communities will host more of this construction than others.”

Addressing local leaders in the room, she said it is “critical to have this conversation in your communities.”

Speaking at the event, Tom Hayes MP, National Mission Champion for Energy, said:

"As a former local climate leader, I've seen firsthand how crucial local authorities are in delivering the clean energy transition. Our ambitious goal to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030 will be delivered faster and more successfully if we do it hand-in-hand with local leaders. They have the on-the-ground knowledge and community relationships needed to drive rapid change. We are committed to ensuring national ambitions and local delivery are fully aligned."

On the importance of the summit, he added: “there are difficult decisions ahead, it won’t always be easy and relationships between national government, local government and communities will face strain … It’s why events like this are so important, places where the different actors involved in delivering the mission can come together, debate these issues.”

Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, added:

"London continues to be at the forefront of the clean energy revolution, driving innovation to deliver on ambitious targets. This summit provided an invaluable opportunity to share expertise and align strategies with other local leaders from across the UK. The partnerships forged here will amplify our collective impact in driving the clean energy transition."

The summit also saw the launch of UK100 and Involve UK’s new “Inclusive Climate Action: A Toolkit for Effective Public Engagement in Decision-Making” report on public engagement in climate action. A key panel, "Rules of Engagement: How to Engage Communities on Renewable Energy Projects", emphasised the critical role of community engagement in the clean energy transition.

Speaking on the panel, Steph Draper, Director of Innovation and Practice at Involve UK, said:

"Effective public engagement is critical to accelerating the rollout of clean energy at the local level. This summit is an excellent opportunity to showcase our new Inclusive Climate Action toolkit, which equips local leaders with practical strategies to bring communities into the heart of decision-making on renewable projects. Our research shows that when done well, participatory approaches not only lead to better clean energy outcomes but also empower residents to become active partners in the transition."

This summit marks a pivotal moment in Britain's clean energy journey — coming almost 100 years after the national energy grid was first made possible — laying the foundation for the nation's success as a clean energy superpower built on local-national collaboration.

Local leaders are encouraged to visit https://localclimatepledge2024.uk100.org/ to sign the Charter of Collaboration and signal their willingness to play a critical role in the clean energy superpower by 2030 mission — with the right support.

The summit was hosted in association with Utility Week, Sustainable Ventures, UK Power Networks DSO, CO2Sense, Thrive Renewables and Battery Box by AMP Clean Energy.

ENDS

Notes to the editors

More quotes are available below.

Speaker quotes and speaking notes:

Christopher Hammond, Chief Executive, UK100: Full speech

Good morning and welcome to UK100's Local Leader's Clean Energy Superpower Summit.

I am Christopher Hammond, Chief Executive of UK100, which is the network of local authorities who are ambitious about meeting the climate challenge.

We are here today, at Sustainable Ventures at London's iconic County Hall, to focus unashamedly on the local authority's role in the energy sector. We want to start a collaborative discussion between councils, Westminster and the private sector on how best to meet the Government's Mission to deliver a Clean Energy Superpower and decarbonise the grid by 2030.

The Prime Minister yesterday made it clear that clean energy will be a key pillar of the new industrial growth strategy. While we can't promise you pop stars or football managers, we can promise you the next best thing - a wholesome discussion on devolution and the energy grid.

This summit will explore issues in local area energy planning, grid infrastructure and community engagement. We're going to hear from organisations and individuals who have experience of innovative delivery, offering insights on building mutually beneficial partnerships as we go forward.

But the conversation and the innovation will continue far beyond it, so please do take part in using social media and the #UK100CleanEnergy hashtag.

A special thank you to the partners of today's event including CO2 Sense, Battery Box by AMP Clean Energy, UK Power Networks' DSO, Thrive Renewables, and European Climate Foundation. They'll be here with stalls, and I'd encourage you to find out more about the brilliant work that these organisations do.

Meeting the Government's mission will, without a doubt, be an ambitious challenge. To deliver clean energy by 2030, we need over a thousand miles of new power lines. We need to double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind.

As conveners of place, influencers of behaviour, and one of the most trusted public sector voices, councils are an important piece in completing the sector's delivery puzzle. But councils need a clearly defined role and the resources to realise the potential of this ambition.

Decarbonising the grid will be the biggest infrastructure investment in the UK since the Second World War. It may be disruptive, but it doesn't have to be destructive.

History is often the best teacher, so what parallels are there from our past?

Almost 100 years ago, in 1926, another Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, promised the British people a land of cheap and abundant electricity. This was to scale up the patchwork of suppliers and high costs that existed from various private individuals, businesses and municipal councils, which only provided electricity to about 6% of the country - but innovators of their time.

The 1926 Electricity Supply Act, and Board, established a 'National Gridiron' project to connect 122 power stations to the whole country. By 1933, thousands of miles of cables and tens of thousands of pylons were rolled out, fulfilling this aspiration.

The 'National Gridiron' project even delivered on those five special words that politicians, civil servants and officers love so much - yet elude us so often in modern delivery - "on time and on budget".

But moving quickly and building on the countryside was as controversial then as it is now. Sir John Betjeman, an award-winning poet, described the rollout of pylons as the "march of the iron monsters" with civil disobedience and campaigns to protect the countryside common.

So you might be asking yourself if centralisation and national delivery has worked so well, what am I doing here today?

The role of local authorities and their recognition as invaluable partners is continually growing in the energy sector.

Back in the last century, people in this very building, both officers and politicians, were not just part, but at the forefront of planning for this city's energy needs. They built the partnerships and power stations to electrify the tramways and underground system that underpinned the growth of the city.

Bottom-up local energy today is still a sound investment. Tailored, place-based climate action could save £140 billion compared to top-down national approaches.

Local, smart and decentralised grids can't be done without the efforts of local leaders and the buy-in of the residents they serve. But local leaders can't win support for these projects on goodwill alone.

Communities that host infrastructure need a share in the economic return. Real community benefit could include investment in the local economy, cheaper bills and well-paying jobs to drive support for these projects.

We need to move beyond simplistic NIMBY or YIMBY frames - which will only feed polarisation in charged times. There are those waiting in the wings, ready to weaponise frustrations for political gain. And mobilisation in the social media age is presenting councils with new challenges in communication and engagement.

But we need to address other challenges in addition to public buy-in. Local authorities remain hamstrung by a lack of a defined role, a policy ecosystem that fails to enable and support local delivery, conflicting remits of public agencies and insufficient funding and resources. The budget offers the opportunity to address these.

But it's also more than money, which the Chancellor will be relieved to hear.

Our latest research, Local Net Zero 2.0, has been built on the insights of more than 50 councils, highlighting the interconnectedness of the energy target, the 1.5 million new homes, planning reform and the government's warm homes plan.

But the threat of silos is always there. So we need to see alignment of Local Plans, Local Area Energy Planning, Council Net Zero Strategies with new requirements for Local Growth Plans and Local Power Plans, then we can create a proper local strategic framework for climate action.

In addition to this, we've called for:

• A robust national framework for Local Area Energy Plans, backed by dedicated funding from Great British Energy.

• Removal of planning barriers for renewables and new technologies.

• Setting a strategic priority for Skills England to support the development of the construction industry to deliver Net Zero homes at the scale and quality required.

• Implementing the Future Homes Standard at the earliest opportunity with zero carbon building standards at its core.

At this summit, we'll explore these ideas and more from a range of innovators, political and energy experts.

We will have two expert panels today:

1. Rules of Engagement: How to Engage Communities on Renewable Energy Projects

2. Laying the Groundwork for Sustainable Growth: How to Build a Net Zero Grid from Neighbourhoods to Nations

At the end, there will be a networking opportunity where we can continue this conversation and make connections with the range of different stakeholders in the room.

Thank you all for being here today. Let's work together to power up Britain's clean energy superpower mission.

Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive, Energy UK: Speech highlights

On the need for rapid infrastructure development:  "We need to build around five times the amount of infrastructure over the next seven years as we have built in the previous three decades."

On the growth of the power sector:  "We need to grow the power sector two to three times by 2050 and that is because we're expecting consumers to be using electric vehicles, to be using heat pumps."

On increased electricity demand: "We're expecting data centres to use a huge amount of electricity, all these new housing estates, they require power connections. So we need to grow the amount of electricity that we generate as well as make it clean."

On building new infrastructure: "We're going to build a lot of stuff. Historically that goes down very well with local communities."

On the necessity of pylons: "I have some bad news. We are going to need to build some pylons. We are going to have build some pylons in places where people don't want pylons."

On minimising impact and considering community benefits: "We're going to need to put them in the right places, of course. We're going to need to minimise the amount of building we do, being as efficient as possible. We're going to need to think about community benefits because the fact is that some communities will host more of this construction than others."

On the importance of community engagement: "It is critical to have this conversation in your communities."

On the benefits for communities: [She discussed] "the benefits that could be available, like community benefit funds, local ownership, money off energy bills."

On the broader implications of clean energy: "As well as working out how we bring those technologies to people, we have to work out a way to do it fairly and at least cost across society to make sure that everyone benefits at every level, national, regionally and in homes from the clean energy transition but also from the delivery of net zero that's coming."

Cllr Claire Holland, Leader of Lambeth Council and Chair of London Councils: Quote

"As local leaders, we are on the front lines of climate action. This summit has reinforced the critical role we play in delivering the UK's clean energy ambitions. The Charter of Collaboration is a significant step towards ensuring our local efforts are supported and amplified at the national level."

Cllr Lorna Fielker, Leader of Southampton City Council: Speech

Good morning everyone,

For some communities, the need for renewable energy is important but fairly low down the agenda.

But for my City of Southampton the imperative to embrace and expand our renewable energy production is acutely tangible.

Southampton is one of the UK’s foremost gateways to the world.

We are home to one of Europe’s leading cruise ports, the UK’s second largest container terminal collectively supporting 45,600 jobs and contributing £2.5 billion to the nation’s economy every year.

We have two excellent universities, world class expertise in maritime research and development, and of course a Premier League football team. Whilst not the biggest of cities, we are determined to punch above our weight.

Third on the recent PWC Good Growth for Cities index Southampton is a growing city which welcomes investment and innovation. It is areas like ours which will be central to the new Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.

But to achieve this, we also need a revolution driven by the government’s second Mission, to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

For places like Southampton, the reason that is so important isn’t just because it’s the right thing to do, but because after a decade of inaction and indecision, our creaking national energy infrastructure is holding back progress.

When businesses tell me their ambitions for expansion are held back by the national grid’s inability to meet their energy requirements, it is clear we need change.

Not just to increase supply to meet the demands of growth, but to embrace truly sustainable energy sources which can power tomorrow without polluting today.

For example, the port wants to be able to have more ship to shore power chargers in use and the bus company want to electrify their fleet, both are prevented from delivering on these ambitions by the lack of power available.

Like any change, there will be resistance to greater renewable energy production if communities don’t feel they have a voice in the decisions which affect them. That’s why meaningful engagement is so vital – not just to build support, but to build understanding. To explain why renewable initiatives will help our communities to succeed in the future.

When we get that wrong it doesn’t just create bad headlines for a few weeks, it damages trust for far longer.

Only recently an ill-conceived carbon capture and storage pipeline near Southampton was dropped after significant public dissent. The problem wasn’t the principle of the initiative, though some did ask whether perpetuating a fossil fuel power plant by burying Co2 under the sea was really the answer.

The problem, as so often is the case, was the proposed implementation – ploughing a pipeline through the New Forest national park and through valued waters around the Solent.

Yes, of course, there will need to be compromise but there also needs to be pragmatism and appreciation of local communities. That’s going to be a hard challenge to balance, but it is what we need from the Government’s approach. A partnership between government, local authorities, energy suppliers and local communities. Not bulldozing schemes through, but equally not letting a noisy minority prevent progress. It’s about selling the benefits and engaging with and where possible addressing local anxieties.

Done right, change doesn’t always have to be contentious, it’s also about making the most of what already exists. For example, it was estimated by the UK Climate Change Committee that around 18% of UK heat will need to come from heat networks by 2050 if the UK is to meet its carbon targets cost effectively.

In Southampton, building on the city’s deep geothermal heat vents we set up the UK’s first heat network in 1986. Since then, it has grown and now connects many of the city’s largest energy users. There is no doubt though that with the right investment and commitment this renewable resource could be grown further, alleviating some pressure on electrical power grid but also providing a city-wide route to decarbonisation.

Its examples like this which show why the government’s devolution zeal is so important. Our clean energy revolution won’t look the same in every area; to command the support of communities it will need to respect and build on the progress which already has local support.

Government could also go further than seeking community support – it could incentivise it. One of the things we are asking for in Southampton is a commitment from Government that increases in local energy production are retained locally so that areas which embrace renewables benefit from them.

Whatever happens we cannot afford yet more years of delay and dither.

Ultimately for areas like mine, without becoming a clean energy superpower, our ailing industrial age infrastructure threatens to hold back the economic growth we so desperately need to see.

Janine Michael, Chief Executive of Centre for Sustainable Energy: Speech

It’s important to recognise that place matters to people and engage people effectively to plan for delivery of net zero locally (not just imposing new energy infrastructure top down without taking local and community perspectives into account). 

The £1b Local Power Plan and proposed investment funds of £600m for LA and £400m for community infrastructure are welcome since they provide an opportunity for schemes to be brought forward that go with the grain of what local communities want – and maximise benefits from them.

The planning process is almost designed to encourage challenge and adversarial reaction in relation to individual projects – irrespective of whether it’s a wind turbine or supermarket being proposed. 

Public support for renewable energy has remained incredibly high consistently for years – that support can often fall off which a local scheme is suddenly proposed by external developers or lands without any previous engagement.

We need to be engaging people earlier and in a more deliberative way in area wide planning for net zero more generally (be that consultation on the Local Plan, development of a Local Area Energy Plan or development of neighbourhood plans). 

This is something CSE has been working on for a long time. e.g. CSE’s Low Carbon Neighbourhood Planning guidance has been used by thousands of communities across England to help them to get the right positive framing of the sorts of renewable energy schemes they want to see happen. And…

Our Future Energy Landscape approach (which is open sources and free to anyone to apply) uses workshops and consultation techniques which listen to local views, concerns and ambition and support them on a journey to decide what types of renewable energy development would be suitable for them.    

Our direct experience is that when you engage communities independently of a specific planning application and deliberatively, with unbiassed information about the opportunities for renewable energy/net zero infrastructure development in their area – they are usually keen to engage, open to different perspectives, thoughtful, positive, constructive and often more ambitious than you would imagine about the infrastructure they would want and support to come forward in their local area. 

But good engagement like this requires investment of time and support – we need the Local Power Plan to recognise the importance of engagement.

Ambition Lawrence Weston turbine example. 8 years in development – CSE helped them develop a neighbourhood plan that identified the desire for the community to own a large wind turbine – consulted widely – at planning no opposition. Build the largest community scale turbine at the time of the onshore wind ban in England.

Community benefits are key – whether full ownership models or applying good engagement in commercial schemes to understand what matters to communities

A few years ago CSE was commissioned by Government to undertake Qualitative research on good practice Community Engagement and Benefits for Onshore Wind in England – and then draft national guidance on community engagement

Bearing in mind this was particularly about wind energy – and focused largely on how developers should engage communities (as opposed to community driven schemes) – a few lessons emerged on engagement.

• Design approaches that reach across the community -not just giving voice to the vocal minority

• No two communities are the same; they are fluid and there is not a one size fits all approach. It is best to treat communities on a case-by-case basis.

• The local affected community is unlikely to map neatly against administrative boundaries. Don’t assume just using a parish or geographical boundary will be enough.

• A range of different engagement methods are needed - engagement needs desk research, data gathering and using videos, online platforms, local media not just events can help avoid consultation fatigue.

• Representative bodies and other local groups have local knowledge about the community and engaging with them can be useful.

Full community development and ownership of local energy infrastructure – is often seen as a gold standard solution to build community buy in – but it takes time and not all communities have the capacity or capabilities to develop community energy schemes. There are different models e.g. communities taking a share of a commercial development, or partnerships with local authorities (e.g. Bristol council leasing its roofs for community solar schemes). Other great examples of this happening across the country that local authorities can look to e.g. where a rural school was saved from closure:  

Tirgwynt Wind Farm in Central Wales has 12 turbines with a 24 MW capacity and commenced operation in 2016. It was jointly funded by the developer and the landowners, who continue to farm the land around the development. Following extensive community engagement, the developer agreed to front load the Carno Community Benefits fund to enable the community to fund a new school building and save the primary school from closure, in line with its wishes. The grant from the community fund was match funded by Powys County Council and the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme. The developer said that it was essential to be flexible with community benefit funds. Other benefits from the wind farm include the provision of broadband for the other host community Dwyriw, annual visits to the wind farm and renewables workshops for the children at Carno Primary School, plus restoration and enhancement of uplands habitats over the lifetime of the development.

Or in Scotland, Kype Muir Wind Farm, Scotland, where funds from renewable energy generation are used strategically to support the local authorities programme for improving local employment and skills, including in tourism and rural diversification. 

Really good engagement is about developing relationships and a genuine understanding of the local area and what will make a difference to communities – it’s not just about setting up a pot of money and hoping that will buy the community off.

Fairness matters to people in the context of net zero policies 

We need a more nuanced national conversation / sustained communications programme around net zero – rather than piecemeal comms e.g. on heat pumps or renewables.  It’s imperative that we take people with us and listen and address their concerns. We need societies ‘consent’ to deliver the scale of change needed to address net zero. 

There are different ways to frame net zero and we need to be positive and hopeful in our messaging.  Climate Outreach has produced very good material – with its Britain Talks Climate toolkit – and we’ve done work to map this to different community demographics that can help local authorities to better target local communications.

We also need to design fairness into the transition to a net zero economy –not just for moral reasons but also pragmatically to maintain public support. That means policies, regulations, market rules, and programmes which distribute their costs and benefits fairly, and energy products and services that enable everyone, even the most vulnerable, to participate. The reality is the poorest people in our society already emit the least carbon, historically have paid disproportionately for net zero policies and have often benefited the least. As we transition to a smarter, more flexible and more complex energy system there will be many more ways to create unfairness. We need to be conscious of this and challenge the way we are recovering costs of new policies. 

And fairness matters to people when encouraging them to make change or accept new policies. Recent work published by the behavioural insights team in NESTA that analysed and tested the public’s appetite to a range of net zero policies – including renewable energy infrastructure and heat pumps – https://www.bi.team/publications/understanding-public-support-for-net-zero-policies/ highlighted that the perceived fairness of different policies – was key to acceptance. Hence we need to be mindful of this in our engagement with people either nationally or locally. 

And without schemes (national or local) that enable engagement with planning for net zero and support communities to develop projects, you risk enhancing inequity E.g. When CSE were running the Urban Community Energy Fund a few years ago we did a high- level analysis of the communities who had received grants and support to develop community renewables – which quickly revealed affluent local areas had benefited much more than less advantaged communities. 

Research we subsequently undertook funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust https://www.cse.org.uk/my-community/community-projects/local-energy-schemes/ revealed that local authorities, housing associations and other local anchor organisations were key in supporting the development of schemes in more disadvantaged communities. 

Effective community engagement is important, but we also need to make our planning system work for net zero more generally

In addition there is much more that could be achieved through planning policy reform – to make our local planning system works for net zero. This is an area where CSE has long been pushing for change in support of local authorities achieving their net zero ambitions.

Our recent work with the Town & Country Planning Association for the Committee on Climate Change on Spatial Planning for Climate Resilience & Net Zero, highlighted multiple ways that the planning system could be reformed and used more effectively to driving carbon reduction and net zero. 

We’ve just submitted extensive recommendations on how the National Planning Policy Framework could adjusted to support net zero. This includes things like (not limited to!): 

• Introducing assessment methodologies that require but also help councils to auditing the carbon impacts of development plan policies and develop Local Plans that demonstrate how carbon reduction is going to be delivered. Essentially we need a system that makes carbon reduction a core principle in planning decisions.

• Allow local authorities to set binding zero carbon policies for new developments, without fear of developer challenge 

• Recognition that the development of renewable energy and net zero energy infrastructure (including battery storage as well as generation tech) should be a national infrastructure priority. 

• Stronger support for nature recovery and nature-based solutions such as peatlands and woodlands given the contribution these habitats make to carbon sequestration.

• Clearer guidance around oil, gas and coal given the Sixth Carbon Budget recommends entirely phasing out unabated fossil fuel electricity generation by 2035, following coal phase out by 2024.

There are also big changes coming through the formation of the new publicly owned National Energy System Operator in terms of energy system planning – Regional Energy System Plans need to be aligned with and carry weight in Local Plans to ensure we deliver an energy system that local areas need and that planning processes don’t delay new infrastructure.

Ultimately we need to make the planning system work for net zero – that means a Future Homes Standard that results in well insulated, low carbon homes and planning policies that ensure all new developments have to be built to be net zero.

Duncan Law, Head of Policy and Advocacy, Community Energy England: Quote

"Community energy projects are essential to achieving our clean energy goals. This summit has highlighted the need for greater support and collaboration between local authorities and community energy groups. The Charter of Collaboration presents an exciting opportunity to unlock the full potential of community-led clean energy initiatives across the UK."

Cllr Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council: Speech

In November 2023, Leeds City Council was awarded an ‘A’ grade and recognized as one of 119 city authorities across the world leading the way on climate action, as part of a list published by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). I am proud of the work Leeds is doing to address climate change. Our annual greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 38% since 2005, from 6.3 to 3.9 million tonnes of carbon. The council’s own carbon footprint has shrunk by nearly two-thirds (63%) over a similar period.

The council’s billed energy consumption has seen a 39% CO2 reduction compared to 2018/2019. In 2021, the council set out plans to invest £100 million in improving the energy efficiency of its homes. The programme is beyond its halfway milestone, with more than £60 million of projects completed, benefiting thousands of residents with healthier, more comfortable homes that are cheaper to keep warm.

Local clean energy action tailored to individual areas addresses what feasibly can be done and is appropriate to the local area. For example, coastal areas of the country can identify alternative actions to land-locked cities. Local authorities, in partnership with the private sector, can embed this into their area through physical projects, policy, and communication with communities affected by the work. Providing the co-benefits of clean energy is important for investment from communities; for example, retrofitting housing provides better health and financial benefits for residents and businesses.

One notable example is the Leeds PIPES project, a £62 million initiative delivered by Leeds City Council in partnership with Vital Energi. This project aims to transform the lives of local residents and the community by reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and combating high rates of fuel poverty. The multi-phase scheme takes heat from the nearby Recycling & Energy Recovery Facility (RERF) and converts it into affordable, reliable, and low-carbon heat and hot water, which is distributed to a range of buildings across the city. Almost 2,000 residential properties have now been connected. 

In the 2023/2024 financial year, the network of insulated underground pipes supplied 29,000 megawatt-hours of heating and helped reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 5,945 tonnes of carbon. The project has also helped employ more than 430 people in the local low-carbon sector, including 36 apprentices.

There is so much more I could talk about but time is limited and so I look forward to the upcoming discussion.

Hugh Goulbourne, Director at CO2Sense: Speech

My name is Hugh Goulbourne and I am a Director at CO2Sense CIC.

From carbon sense to commercial sense. At CO2Sense we’re passionate about helping local communities turn their energy plans into investable and impactful projects. 

Local power generation is one of the Government’s priorities for GB Energy and so this is an exciting time to be joining this panel and all of you as local authority leaders at the UK100 summit to push forward our local-national collaborations. 

And it's equally exciting to see how quickly that change has begun with the changes to planning and the introduction of the GB Energy Bill. 

BUT the Government's commitment to clean energy and creating wealth in every region is daunting. 

The ‘Elephant in the Room’ is that the scale of change that is required means that neither GB Energy nor councils can go on this journey alone. 

To deliver on the Local Power Plan the Government is going to need to crowd in a lot of private finance. At Co2Sense we want to play our part, which is why we are talking to councils, combined authorities and government now about deploying £1-2m capital from our fund to help kickstart things alongside the LPP early in 2025. 

Place-based energy action: 

I came into the energy sector through place-based energy action in Hackney (a place which I know a number of people in the room are very familiar with). 

One of our biggest projects was the Shoreditch Heat and Power network. 

Through this project I learned the value of community scale energy projects, in terms of addressing the climate emergency, driving down costs for local people and increasing energy resilience. 

I also came to understand the difficulty of securing finance for these projects - in the end we brought together ECO, CESP, council and developer capital but it took more than ten years and without the support of a well financed community organisation such as ST, it would never have happened. 

CO2Sense role: 

Inspired (and frustrated) by my experience in Shoreditch I jumped at the chance to join CO2Sense because I saw it as an inspired example of a Labour Government trying to crowd finance into the clean energy sector. 

CO2Sense was founded in 2009 with funding from Yorkshire Forward and the UK Government. 

All of our work has been done alongside councils, community groups and social entrepreneurs. 

In the early days we did a lot of capital grants and grant funded advisory work. Importantly though over time we have created more of a venture model, investing in high risk/early stage projects, and then recycling monies from one project into more projects. 

Our approach helps bridge the gap between public and private finance, supporting projects to get off the ground, become viable and crowd in private investment multiplying the public pound.

We started with around £6m when we became fully independent in 2014, and we are now worth nearer to £7m. 

Over time we have invested in a real mix of projects:

• untested technology e.g. AD, biomass and hydro

• Putting together new models e.g. farm based wind 

• And we have even looked at new tech such as CCS, vertical urban farms and now agri-tech data solutions 

The Energise Barnsley project which we match funded through the Ethex investment platform exemplifies our investment principles. 

Creating a greener, fairer future. A new future for a former industrial town. 

20% of tenants in fuel poverty. System level changes, with smart batteries and demand side response to shift energy use. Also tenant engagement to bring local people along on the journey - just as we had done in Shoreditch. 

To finish, this is our offer to GB Energy and this Government's Mission on clean energy and on growth:

My main message to HMG and to Councils is that over the past 16 years we have learned lots of lessons.

And, if the past 14 years of incoherent and constantly changing government policy has taught us anything it is that we cannot afford another lost generation and so my plea is the following:

• Councils need help to find ways to crowd in other forms of finance and blend to cover different risk profiles. We have a lot of skill and learning, which is amplified by our partnerships with Ethex and others, so please do use that as a springboard.

• There are lots of opportunities within the Council asset base, but our experience tells us that you need help with the technical expertise to quickly assess project viability and advisory support to access the right finance at the right time. Again please talk to us because we can help with this. 

• Individuals want to take action on climate change, but this could mean that the best projects only happen in the areas where there is greatest financial and social capital. Again we can help by providing the capacity to attract the required investment into projects in less well off areas. 

• Energy investment can stimulate economic growth through development of new services and technological solutions - where this happens we have a track record of providing the seed capital that is needed to start and scale-up a new enterprise. 

So let me end, where I began. The scale of change that is promised by the new government is commendable, but it means that councils cannot go on this journey alone. 

We want to play our part, which is why we are talking to councils, CAs and government about deploying £1-2m capital from our fund to help to get things moving alongside the LPP early in 2025. 

I suspect that combined and local authorities will be looking to deploy monies which they draw down from the LPP as quickly and efficiently as possible. We are ready to help with this. We were established by the past Labour government and we continue to have an asset lock to safeguard all of our monies for the public good. 

Thank you for listening, I have some specific thoughts on what is needed to get this to work, but I am looking forward to getting into this as part of the rest of this debate. 

Thank you! 

Lynne McDonald, Head of Local Net Zero for UK Power Networks DSO: Quote

"The transition to a clean energy future requires a transformation of our power networks. This summit has highlighted the critical role of collaboration between distribution network operators and local authorities. The Charter of Collaboration will help us work more effectively with local leaders to create the smart, flexible grid needed to support Britain's clean energy ambitions."

Christopher Morris, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Sustainable Ventures: Quote

"Sustainable Ventures are delighted to have partnered with UK100 to host the Local Leaders Clean Energy Superpower Summit. Delivering on our new government's ambitious Climate and Sustainability objectives will require rapid and effective collaboration across the public-private divide on a scale never seen before, and the role of local government cannot be underestimated."

Cllr Dan De'Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport, Cardiff Council, Cardiff Council: Quote

"As a member of the UK100, Cardiff Council sees the Charter for Collaboration as a fundamental opportunity to tackle technical and non-technical barriers to accelerating clean energy delivery, in a synchronised way, across all levels of government. Councils understand the importance of places, how to work with communities and support change on the ground. The charter represents an opportunity to work across the councils, devolved administrations and the UK government with the agreed drive to accelerate delivery for the benefit of the UK and global emissions reductions.

“There is much we can learn, share and work on together. For example, in Wales we can share our learning from the development of LAEPs whilst also learning from others as to how to unlock their potential through joined up working and working with the likes of Great British Energy. We look forward very much to working with UK100, partners across government and industry to accelerate climate action and clean energy as green growth investment as an engine to growth, jobs and innovation which can only be delivered by working at the local level."

About UK100

UK100’s primary purpose is to support a local-led rapid transition to Net Zero and Clean Air. We do this through collaboration. 

To accelerate action, we believe in bringing together the most influential leaders across the country to learn together and agree on priorities for legislative and regulatory change while empowering them to engage with national decision-makers. 

We provide our network with the knowledge, tools and connections to make this happen.

UK100.org