Climate (and Ecological) Emergency Advisory Committees |
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Report of Head of Policy and Programmes Author: Jessie Fieth, Climate and Biodiversity Team E-mail: jessie.fieth@southandvale.gov.uk
Vale of White Horse Cabinet member responsible: Cllr Bethia Thomas Email: bethia.thomas@whitehorsedc.gov.uk To: Climate Emergency
Advisory Committee
South Oxfordshire Cabinet member responsible: Cllr David Rouane Email: david.rouane@southoxon.gov.uk To: Climate and Ecological
Emergency Advisory Committee
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Recommendation(a) For information only. |
Implications (further detail within the report) |
Financial |
Legal |
Climate and Ecological |
Equality and diversity |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
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Signing off officer |
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Jessie Fieth |
Equalities team |
Purpose of paper
What is Local Area Energy Planning?
4. A Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) is a spatial plan which maps all the existing energy infrastructure of an area, evaluates the current and future energy demand and the range of technologies and scenarios. It will consider electricity demand, heating demand, retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency and decarbonising heating, electric vehicle charging and how our energy might be supplied, managed and consumed in the future. It will cover electricity transmission networks, gas networks, district heat networks*, future potential for hydrogen, fabric of built environment, energy flexibility*, energy generation and storage* and providing energy to decarbonise transport.
a) Identifying zones that are most suitable for heat networks (more detailed feasibility studies would be needed before delivery of these heat networks).
b) Identifying urgently required upgrades to electricity transmission networks which will help with planning to reduce wait times for new grid connections for renewable energy projects or new housing. Specifically, it will help to make sure that the grid capacity is available for the delivery of the zero carbon building policies in our forthcoming Joint Local Plan[1].
c) Identifying ‘no-regret’ opportunities for immediate investment where future technologies are unlikely to be suitable and the risk of future back tracking is low, e.g. identifying projects where use of hydrogen would not be suitable even if it did become available.
d) Identifying required upgrades to the transmission network that will enable the councils at achieve their net zero ambitions.
Why should we have a Local Area Energy Plan?
· Sets out a clear plan of actions and projects needed to transition an area’s energy system to net zero. This can then be the basis on which further feasibility work and project delivery and investment can be prioritised. This provides clarity for both local authorities and DNOs.
· Can create a local supply chain capacity and capability for projects, and training and employment opportunities for residents.
· Can identify alternative solutions, such as energy flexibility and renewable generation, for areas where there will not be sufficient electricity grid capacity to meet demand.
· To improve the process to allow more targeted grid infrastructure investment by providing evidence of when and where additional grid capacity will be needed – this evidence can be used to unlock DNO, and other, investment. As well as giving the local authority a blueprint for action, they also provide all geographic stakeholders with a basis for taking forward activity and prioritising investments. DNOs are now permitted to invest ahead of need if they have sufficient high-quality evidence.
· Can save money in the long term due to planned energy infrastructure investment compared to unplanned and piecemeal delivery, despite the initial cost associated with commissioning a LAEP. This should avoid lengthy waits for grid connections (that we have experienced, for example, at Faringdon Leisure Centre).
· The LAEP will help local authorities to create and monitor a project pipeline of energy projects to advance decarbonisation, economic growth, energy security and climate adaptation in alignment with local strategies and policies. It will also provide greater transparency in why pipeline projects represent the best way forward to achieve local authority priorities.
10. A LAEP will sit alongside the forthcoming South and Vale Joint Local Plan. The Joint Local Plan, including the evidence collected through the Net Zero Carbon Study, will inform the LAEP. This will help DNOs to understand projected energy consumption based on existing and emerging Joint Local Plan policies on where areas of renewable energy schemes, new housing and infrastructure will be (alongside the existing process, Distribution Future Energy Scenarios). The LAEP is estimated to be finalised in summer 2025 so will not be available before the Joint Local Plan is submitted and it will be up to the council to determine how much (if any) is made publicly available. However, it will be useful to the local planning authority in helping to create an environment in which the policies in the Joint Local Plan can be delivered (particularly by increasing certainty about grid connections). The LAEP will help to identify any areas of grid constraint early so that the DNO, the council and developers can work collaboratively to find a solution which delivers the councils ambitions set out in the Joint Local Plan.
The Oxfordshire approach
Timescales going forward
Table 1 – LAEP key milestones |
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LAEP governance process |
South and Vale internal process |
May 2024 |
Climate officer approval of project scope and business case for additional budget (at EPWG meeting) |
8 May - LAEP briefing paper to SMT |
Senior officer approval of project scope and business case for additional budget (at ESB meeting) |
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June 2024 |
Early June - Infrastructure Advisory Group approval of business case for additional budget |
10 June - LAEP briefing paper to South CEEAC |
July 2024 |
30 July - Future Oxfordshire Partnership decision about additional budget |
16 July - LAEP briefing paper to Vale CEAC |
August 2024 |
Mid August - Finalisation of procurement specification and go to market |
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November 2024 |
Award contract |
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Next steps
Glossary
District heat networks – a heat network supplies heat from a central source to consumers, via a network of underground pipes carrying hot water. This avoids the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.
Distribution Network Operator (DNOs) – these are licensed companies that own, operate and invest in improvements the network of cables, transformers and towers that bring electricity from the national transmission network to businesses and homes. The DNOs are regulated by Ofgem.
Energy storage – the capture of energy from renewables (such as wind turbines or solar panels) to be stored and then released when the power is needed most. The most common is battery energy storage systems.
Energy system flexibility – energy systems need to continuously match supply to demand (this is called energy balancing). Energy system flexibility is the ability to adjust supply and demand to achieve that energy balance. To meet net zero carbon targets, flexibility will become much more important as more renewable electricity is generated and as our heating, transport and other behaviour changes use more electricity. For example, in a flexible system, a large-scale battery could charge up where there is additional generation and discharge this energy onto the grid when demand is highest.
[1] Reading Borough Council are currently facing the situation where new developments have to install gas boilers, despite the local plan requiring low carbon heating, because the necessary electricity network capacity is not available.
[2] Project LEO (Local Energy Oxfordshire) ran trials in Oxfordshire which looked to build a broad range of reliable evidence of the technological, market and social conditions needed for a greener, more flexible and fair electricity system.