Energy

A net-zero carbon by 2038 and with significant progress made by 2030.

Aim

To be net-zero carbon by 2038 and to have made significant progress by 2030.

What success will look like 

Demand for energy in the region is met predominately by a combination of renewable and low carbon technologies coupled with energy storage solutions and innovative ways of balancing demand for energy.  

Businesses and industry use the resources they need to operate efficiently reducing energy consumption and boosting regional productivity.

Buildings are energy efficient reducing costs for businesses and residents through lower energy bills. This is especially relevant to the most vulnerable in society who are classed as in fuel poverty.

Emission reductions are embedded into decision making ensuring the climate emergency is being addressed through all investments.

Travel, where it is needed, is undertaken by multi-passenger modes or via active travel, with a large proportion of travel undertaken by zero emission vehicles. 

Positive engagement with funders, be they government or the finance community, to provide funding for a pipeline of low carbon energy projects that contribute to meeting the regions emission reduction target, creating jobs, increasing GVA and productivity.

Strengths

  • Labour productivity is among the highest of any industry in the region.
  • Good relationships with key energy sector stakeholders, with some of these stakeholders headquartered in the region. 
  • Sector relatively highly skilled, with strong representation in management, professions and associate professional / technical occupations. 
  • Significant level of higher education provision hosted in the region is directly relevant to the skills needs of the energy sector.

 

 

Challenges

  • Lack of awareness of the opportunities and benefits – both social and economic that can be realised by tackling the climate emergency. 
  • No one organisations’ responsibility –but requires everyone to take action.
  • Lack of capacity and expertise to drive the agenda.  
  • Lack of project development funding to take low carbon energy projects from the point of concept to point of implementation.  
  • Lack of a zero carbon project pipeline which hinders ability to engage with financiers and project sponsors / developers. 
  • Lack of appropriate funding mechanisms to deliver at the pace and scale that is necessary to meet the regional emission reduction target. 

Policies and strategies  

Who’s helping make this happen

  • West Yorkshire Local Authorities
  • Northern Gas Networks 
  • Northern Powergrid 
  • Yorkshire Water 
  • Energy companies 
  • BEIS 
  • Civic society  
  • The Green Economy Panel provides advice and strategic direction on policies relating to green and blue infrastructure and natural capital. The Panel is made up of local councillors and local business representatives.  

What we are doing to make this happen

Projects already underway in the region include:

Energy Accelerator

Innovative programme supporting the development of low carbon projects through a team of expert advisors. The Accelerator offers free support to the commercial and public sector in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable energy, district heat networks and street lighting. The Accelerator is funded through the European Investment Bank and Local Growth Fund.

REBiz

Project builds on the Combined Authority’s successful Resource Efficiency Programme (REF) to increase energy efficiency and environmental resource efficiency, covering energy, energy efficiency, water and waste in SMEs. Advice and support to deliver best practice, grants, investment in environmental resource efficiency and low carbon technologies and business model innovation to support more resource efficient business is provided through the programme.

How this will meet our priorities

Boosting productivity:

  • Energy costs are one of the highest areas of expenditure for businesses. Implementation of energy efficiency measures and the generation of low carbon energy that reduce these costs allow businesses to utilise the savings for business development and job creation.
  • Improving the energy efficiency of dwellings which reduces the number of cold / damp health related admissions to hospitals which results in fewer sick days and reduces operational costs for the NHS.

Tackling the climate emergency:

  • Reducing carbon and other emissions from all sectors and elements of society. Generation of renewable and low carbon energy that reduces reliance on fossil fuel sources for energy.
  • Transforming the way travel is undertaken, transitioning away from private car use to multi-passenger modes and active travel.
  • Being smarter and more efficient with how energy is used.

Enabling inclusive growth:

  • Reducing the proportion residents, especially the most vulnerable in society, pay for their energy enabling other basic needs to be more fully met.
  • Ensuring the transition to a low carbon economy is a ‘just’ one providing the opportunities and support for individuals to retrain in the skills necessary to support the transition, especially in those traditional industries which are not necessarily compatible with clean growth.

Delivering 21st century transport:

  • Reducing the reliance on the private vehicle in favour of multi-passenger solutions and active travel choices. Implementing the necessary infrastructure to allow a rapid transition to battery electric and fuel-cells where private vehicles are required.

Securing money and powers:

  • Securing devolved funding and powers from government and other financiers to enable the regional emission reduction target to be met and clean growth to be achieved.

Page last updated: 26/08/20