Through our Parish Energy Planning (PEP) service, we partner with local authorities to produce energy plans that will help the community to understand it’s current energy use, and how community led action can cut carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency and lower energy bills.
Our team will work with the community to develop a range of possible scenarios for a low carbon future. We explore what type and size of renewable generation project might be right for your local area, and how everyone in the community could benefit from it.
Our locally tailored plans will provide a detailed breakdown of the local housing stock to help community members understand what concrete steps they can take to reduce carbon emissions and save money in their own home.
Our PEP process centres on community engagement and co-creation to ensure that communities feel a sense of ownership over any potential projects. Through community engagement workshops, energy advice events and community questionnaires, our team will build a picture of the needs of the community. We combine this engagement process with a purpose-built package of data analysis to develop a ‘picture in data’ of the parish as it is, and how it could achieve a low carbon future.
Why now?
Councils across the country are recognising the need for local energy planning, putting in place Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs), while the National Energy System Operator (NESO) is developing Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs).
These models are top-down by nature and do not account for each community’s unique set of needs. Our PEP model is community-led and designed to function either as a standalone process, or to complement LAEPs.
Our PEP model will provide vital, locally specific information to help local councils develop key strategic projects that can support their net-zero goals, while also nurturing engaged, informed communities. PEPs will also prepare local areas to be at the front of the queue when NESO advises Ofgem on areas for strategic investment.
Our PEP methodology
Workshops, questionnaires and awareness raising
Using survey results and datasets to analyse the housing stock and identify generation sites
Results presented to the community as a report, workshop, and tailored 1-2-1 energy advice offered
Our energy planning projects
We’ve worked with multiple local authorities and community groups across the country to produce decarbonisation reports for local areas.
The reports outlined options for community-owned renewable energy and retrofit projects, such as solar farms and heat pump installations. We supported Saffron Walden Community Energy in developing a decarbonisation planning report for Littlebury village. This work prompted the community to explore low-carbon heating options and has since led to further initiatives, including bulk buying schemes for insulation, solar panels, and heating systems. We also worked with our partners on the CommuniHeat project for Barcombe, creating a digital twin of the village and identify potential for 17 small scale renewable generation projects – many of which have now gone through the planning phase.
More recently we worked with Broughton Community Energy, Energise South Downs, and Centre for Sustainable Energy to produce a report that outlined a strategy which, if followed, would generate more energy than Broughton’s predicted local demand through incorporating local, community owned, renewable generation. Since then, Broughton Community Energy have used the findings in a successful Great British Energy Community Fund application. We also produced a report for Houghton, one of the 59 parishes in Test Valley, exploring how local energy initiatives such as starting a Community Energy Group can create long-lasting community benefits.
Want to work with us?
We work with community groups, local authorities and key stakeholders in the sector. Get in touch to join one of our programmes.
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