Monthly Archives: August 2013

Patience brings London district heating rewards

August 2013: COSPP article giving a little more background to the SELCHP heat offtake scheme in Southwark (more of which here).

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Using Local Powers to Maximise Energy Efficiency Retrofit Toolkit

August 2013CAG Consultants on behalf of the GLA have developed a new toolkit – Using Local Powers to Maximise Energy Efficiency Retrofit Toolkit – “to help London’s councils identify and implement solutions to help attract investment and delivery for energy efficiency measures.  It focuses on three commonly cited challenges: planning, data and logistics.” The report highlights that:

  • The opportunity for energy retrofitting in London’s housing is immense: more than one in five of the U.K.’s solid walled homes are in the capital, as well as 14 per cent of England’s fuel poor homes.
  • Energy efficiency projects can regenerate entire communities, drive up housing values and engage residents in wider issues of sustainability
  • Retrofitting also provides an opportunity for pioneering local authorities to get an edge in the growing energy efficiency market and generate local jobs.
  • London has the highest proportion of properties in conservation areas of any UK city – around 500,000 properties. For these properties, planning permission is required for most works which change the external appearance of the property.

The guide provides some helpful references to planning guidance issued by Camden (also see here and here for further information) and Haringey to help support energy efficiency retrofit measures such as solid wall insulation. A further barrier often faced by retrofit programmes has been identifying the most vulnerable homes that would benefit from increased levels of insulation as a priority,  and the report provides some useful information on data-sharing initiatives undertaken by Southwark and Haringey councils, working alongside colleagues in housing and benefits teams, to help overcome this [p 27-30].

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Southwark Council creates SELCHP heating network

August 2013: Industry newsletter Utility Week reports on Southwark Council’s heat network development using heat from the SELCHP energy from waste plant in nearby Lewisham (for full details, see earlier post here). The story relates:

“Councillor Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment, and recycling said: “As the first London borough to take such a positive step, we are signalling our strong commitment to the reduction of carbon emissions and keeping Southwark an environmentally friendly zone.”

“Mayor of London Boris Johnson, said:” Local heat and power supplies not only save Londoners money and reduce carbon emissions but also help to provide London with a more secure, sustainable, cost-effective energy supply.”

The Financial Times have also covered the project with their own singular headline French rubbish scheme hots up to cut London energy bills‘.

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Sutton respond to ‘Local Energy’ Inquiry

August 2013: The London Borough of Sutton has recently submitted evidence to the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee’s inquiry into ‘Local Energy. A number of interesting points are made in the borough’s submission, including:

  • In terms of determining the level of appetite among local authorities to invest in their own medium-scale energy projects, Sutton respond that the number of local authorities have taken a key role in developing their own energy projects demonstrating that a desire for such projects exist
  • Sutton has been progressing its own decentralised energy network over the last 12-15 months and there is a political desire to support this work
  • Sutton has realised that it can address a number of its policies through taking a vested interest in this work such as addressing fuel poverty, controlling infrastructure spend in the Borough, improving security of supply as well as attracting residents and business to the area.
  • Local government needs a much better understanding of project management and risk mitigation alongside a realisation that a Council has to be highly entrepreneurial in its approach to delivering public policy and services

The Energy and Climate Change Committee will publish its findings into its Local Energy inquiry tomorrow morning. See here for information.

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Observing London: Weather data needed for London to thrive

17 July 2013: Lloyds news highlights a new report: “Thanks to a new initiative by the London Climate Change Partnership (LCCP) in partnership with the Met Office and Lloyd’s, London is set to improve how it collects and uses weather data across the capital.
The new report: Observing London: Weather data needed for London to thrive, details how the initiative will provide economic benefits in areas such as flood management, transportation and building design.”

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