Partnership Energy Planning and a tool for realising Sustainable Energy Communities (PEPESEC)
Northwest England (Greater Manchester, Manchester City, Oldham Borough),
PROJECT TEAM & PARTNERS
Project Co-ordinator: Dave Carter, Manchester Digital Development Agency
Technical Co-ordinator: Simon Robinson, Manchester: Knowledge Capital
Cities of
- Malmo (Sweden)
- Genoa (Italy)
- Katowice (Poland)
- Mercia (Spain)
- Municipalities of Amaroussion & Thessaloniki (Greece)
- Skane Energy Agency (Sweden)
- Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency
- The Polish Institute for Sustainable Development
- Exallon (Greece)
CONTRACT VALUE - €1,345,000m
FUNDING EU 50%, Manchester: Knowledge Capital
match comes from the NWDA
TIMESCALE - 30 months (Jan 08 - Jun 2010)
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
The 'Partnership Energy Planning as a tool for realising European Sustainable Energy Communities' (PEPESEC) project will support the emergence of European sustainable energy communities through increasing the use of local community planning for the efficient supply, distribution and use of RES and conventional energy, demand-side management and associated mobility.
Over the period January 2008 to June 2010 the PEPSEC project will work to achieve this through widening the use of existing best practice energy planning methodologies (from Sweden and wider EU) and further develop these through the addition of innovative techniques to facilitate the involvement of citizens, politicians, market actors and other stakeholders whose buy-in and actions are required for effective plan delivery.
Through PEPESEC stakeholders' needs and aspirations will be accounted for, utilising an effective and transparent vision-led approach to engagement. This vision-led approach will promote the significant economic, social and environmental benefits of developing a low-carbon economy and shaping a sustainable energy community.
Innovation is to be significant feature of the engagement process through marrying the best of LA21/Sustainable Community Strategy learning with latest tools and techniques for multi-stakeholder strategic plan development.
PEPESEC will contribute across Europe to:
• Reducing atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur,
nitrous oxide and hydrocarbons
• Reducing dependency on fossil fuels
• Increasing the use of renewable energy and biofuels
• Increasing energy efficiency and energy resource management
• Improving competitiveness.
• Further development of the environmental (energy) economy
• Enhancing the framework for the take-up of low carbon
technologies
INNOVATIVE PRACTICE
The project is testing the Swedish model for energy planning for the first time in the UK.
What is an energy plan?
An 'Energy Plan' is a term derived from Sweden where such
plans, according to the 'law on municipal energy planning',
must be prepared and implemented by every municipality.
Energy Planning has been a statutory obligation for Swedish
municipalities since the 1970's in the wake of the first Oil
Crisis. Over the last 10-20 years Swedish Energy Plans have moved
on from being purely resource efficiency led, to incorporate
sustainable energy technologies and a focus on reducing CO2 and
maximising local social and economic opportunities.
It is important for the authority to have the know-how,
responsibility and resources so that it is in a position to act as
a role-model for how renewable energy is introduced and how
sustainable construction is planned and executed.
The ultimate goal would be for all 10 authorities to have an
Energy Plan, with unifying elements identified, described and
delivered collectively - leading to the development of a City
Region Super Energy Plan.
How would a Greater Manchester authority benefit?
• It adds value to existing Local Authority programmes by
gaining collective buy in and encouraging delivery.
• This will be the first time in the UK that Energy Planning
has been done in this way, providing an excellent mechanism to
showcase participating authorities throughout Europe, the UK and
the region.
• It will enable hand holding throughout the learning
process, providing support on energy issues, monitoring processes,
stakeholder engagement etc.
CHALLENGES FACED
Trans-national
One problem has been that the partnership was formed largely of
contacts through the Eurocities network, not through technical
(energy/climate change). This has meant that the partnership
consists of a 'mixed ability' group at different levels of
understanding.
The nature of staff turnover between bid-stage and implementation has also caused issues regarding additional lead-in time being required to get colleagues up to speed.
Some partners also struggle with English as the project language.
These issues have been largely overcome by development and implementation of a partnership improvement plan. This has included a focus on improvement workshops during trans-national study tours.
Greater Manchester
Partnership action plan development work at city-regional level in
a non-statutory area requires a great investment of time and energy
from co-ordinators.
For PEPESEC the lack of (until April 2009) of city-regional governance structures for environment / climate change has meant the lack of structure on which to hang such initiatives.
PROJECT TARGETS & LEGISLATION
• A suite of 9 energy plans from participating European
municipalities, modular in nature for adaptation and transfer
trans-nationally
• An understanding of skills sets required by key
professionals, politicians and wider stakeholders in effectively
participate in energy planning
• Increased understanding of wider professional, politicians
and wider stakeholders in wider EU of 'why, what and how
to' energy plan
• Increased capacity of key professionals, politicians and
wider stakeholders with participating and observer municipalities
• Practical examples of how intelligent systems can be made
more accessible and useable through imaginative uses of digital
technologies
• Best Practice Guidance on Development of City Regional
Energy Plans
LESSONS LEARNT & APPLICABILITY IN OTHER SITUATIONS
At the halfway point in the 30 month project it is premature to publish lessons leant.
The aim of the project is to disseminate an Energy Planning best-practice toolkit throughout Europe (c.June 2010)
The PEPESEC Knowledge Base has now been launched. It features best practice case studies and will be added to over coming months.
RELEVANT GRAPHS/TABLES/CHARTS OR OTHER VISUAL AIDS
Knowledge Base Website v1.0
Currently features 170+ energy management case studies.
Will be updated as project developed
http://www.pepesecenergyplanning.eu/
PEPESEC Project Website
NB - in need of major overhaul - set for April 2009
http://pepesec.manchesterdda.com/
CONTACT DETAILS
Simon Robinson
Programme Manager, Manchester is my Planet, Manchester: Knowledge
Capital
Tel: T. 0161 237 4639
E-mail: simon.robinson@manchesterknowledge.com
