Local authorities are actively pursuing extensive decarbonisation planning to align with their climate objectives. Whether developing Local Area Energy Plans (LAEP) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland or Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) in Scotland.

In a recent report published by Regen in partnership with Innovate UK, "Planning for Energy Decarbonisation at a Local Level",  it was highlighted that a core data and assumptions service for local authorities would improve the quality and efficiency of local decarbonisation planning.

Recognising the pivotal role of local actions in meeting national net zero targets, Regen partnered with Innovate UK to better understand the value of decarbonisation planning for local authorities – and what might be needed to fully unlock local authorities’ ability to plan for and deliver net zero.    

As part of the study, 147 stakeholders from across 50 local authorities were interviewed, both with and without decarbonisation plans or LAEPs.

Based on feedback from local authorities, one of the two recommendations identified was that there would be significant value in establishing a service that collates data, core assumptions, methodologies and units for local authorities for decarbonisation planning. 

The report also recommended that this service would help local authorities at all levels immediately with the delivery of net zero projects and reduce the costs of developing a local decarbonisation plan, helping to make the process more accessible. It would also result in greater consistency and higher quality. 

Additionally the report mentioned that 'this might be as a ‘live’ tool, such as that being developed by Advanced Infrastructure in their LAEP+ tool, or regularly published reports. Either way, this must be a long-term service provided to local authorities.’ 

Practitioners of LAEPs at the workshop study agreed that a significant proportion of time was used in obtaining, cleaning and preparing data.

Lily Cairns Haylor, Head of Product and Co Founder at Advanced Infrastructure said:

“Without access to the right data and tools there are a number of challenges Local Authorities face in moving forward with their Local Area Energy Plans. With the introduction of LAEP+, we are starting to dismantle unnecessary barriers and costs facing local authorities, empowering local authorities with the data and tooling to drive proactive, impactful change in their journeys to net zero."  

Advanced Infrastructure develops and provides spatial analytics and digital twins for the energy transition. The company helps local authorities, distribution network operators and consultants to plan the roll out of low carbon infrastructure.

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The net-zero planning spatial analytics platform for Local Area Energy Plans puts hundreds of datasets and analysis tools in the hands of local authorities, energy network operators and stakeholders. 

This supports planners to identify the optimal locations of low-carbon technologies such as EV charge points and heat pumps as well as informing long-term energy strategies and plans.

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Over the past four years, the company has built a client base of public and private sector organisations including Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, UK Power Networks, Oxfordshire County Council and Dundee City Council.

The full report by Regen and Innovate UK 'Planning for energy decarbonisation at a local level'  can be accessed in the following link:  https://www.regen.co.uk/planning-for-decarbonisation-at-a-local-level/