Local Energy is a social enterprise established by the LGIU in 2010 to manage the growing volume of work in carbon reduction, climate change and renewable energy.
Local Energy exists to help organisations manage the risks associated with ever-changing legislation on climate change, carbon emissions and energy efficiency; as well as to take advantage of the opportunities offered by renewable energy technologies and incentive schemes. Most of our current clients are in the public sector.
Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) work
One of the core areas of Local Energy’s work has been the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC). Initially within the LGiU and later as Local Energy, we have run three successful CRC learning projects, which gave participants the opportunity to participate in a mock auction and to trade ‘virtual’ carbon allowances, at a time when these were new and untested elements of the Scheme.
The aim of our CRC projects is to ensure that public sector organisations manage the risks and opportunities associated with participation in the Scheme. This means supporting organisations to be compliant and up to speed with the regulations and reducing the associated financial risks. We also aim to help participants to reduce carbon emissions so we offer support on producing and implementing carbon reduction plans, analysing marginal abatement costs for carbon reduction, and taking advantage of renewable technologies and incentives.
Being a dedicated public sector network of over 100 organisations also means that our clients benefit from inter-organisational learning, sharing innovation and best practice across local government, health, education and central government.
Carbonscape
Carbonscape offers clients an individually tailored CRC service, ranging from a comprehensive, fully managed option through to bespoke packages .
Depending on your individual requirements, the following services can be included: compliance set-up including CRC manual; CRC registration and notification of regulation changes; energy data collection; footprint and annual reports; evidence pack set up and management; CRC ‘internal audit’; carbon cost reduction and reputational benefits and incentives advice.
Carbon Reduction and Energy Efficiency
During the last year, we have provided information and advice on a range of carbon reduction and energy efficiency related topics, including: the benefits of CHP and how to determine if it’s right for you; biomass boilers, including selecting and procuring feedstock; sources of funding for solar PV ‘rent-a-roof’ projects; using a Carbon Emission Impact Assessment Tool; and carbon reduction strategy case studies covering power management, voltage optimisation, sub-metering, biomass district heating, solar PV, small scale hydro and decentralised energy.
We will continue to expand our range of practical advice in this area, including how to benefit from feed-in tariffs and the renewable heat incentive, with the assistance of our colleagues at the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
Our partnership with the EST also means we can now provide guidance on: profiling property stock; housing stock refurbishment; tariff scheme support; economic modelling; green finance; performance assessment; Local Authority carbon assessment; and examining energy networks.
At Local Energy we are currently developing a more comprehensive service for Carbon Reduction and Energy Efficiency Delivery (CREED) plans; which we will be working on and talking much more about in the coming year.
You can find out more about us using these links:
