A new £30 million low-carbon projects energy fund has been approved by the council. This investment in renewable energy could help businesses across the city improve their energy efficiency.
Funding will be structured so the council generates income from projects over the long term, while everyone can benefit from reduced carbon emissions, energy expenditure and, depending on the schemes taken forward, potentially cleaner air.
The proposals build on the council’s existing successes in energy investments which reduce emissions by 2,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and create annual savings of around £2 million, brought about through a range of improvements and investments, including the largest rooftop solar investment from any council in the country.
Cllr Kimberley Barrett, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said:
“The council has done a lot to tackle the climate crisis in recent years but we need to keep working to achieve as much as we can. This isn’t just about improving council buildings, while that can make a big difference we want to go further and help other big organisations in the city make sure their sites are as energy efficient as possible.
“It will save businesses money on energy at a time when bills are rising and significantly benefit the environment. This is an issue that affects everyone, we need to make improvements wherever they can be made.”
The potential projects highlighted include solar and batteries at Lakeside North Harbour, as well as a number of schools and other buildings in the city. Investment in renewable energy is just one part of the council’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions in the city by 2030.