Peterborough 'leading the way' in city-scale decarbonisation plans amid 'climate emergency'

Work to reduce carbon emissions across Peterborough and deliver a Net Zero target for the city will be accelerated as part of a collaborative new project.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) was recently awarded £2.75m funding from Innovate UK to lead a scheme called Peterborough Accelerated Net Zero (PANZ) – joining the Net Zero Living Pathfinders programme.

As part of the PANZ project, the council will work with communities and partners including Cambridgeshire County Council, Nordic Energy, Energy Systems Catapult, edenseven and PECT, to develop a series of Net Zero delivery plans.

A platform will be developed that considers technical data alongside social, demographic and economic data to develop delivery plans to ‘maximise the likelihood of success’.

Peterborough was one of the first cities in the UK to adopt a Local Area Energy Plan – which set out the pathway to reach net zero. It considered the current and future energy demands of heating, electricity and transport to predict what is likely to be required across low carbon heating, electricity network capacity and electricity generation.

A spokesperson for PCC said: “The project will put the community voice at its centre, ensuring we listen to and understand the barriers and drivers for our residents. By designing the system in this way, we will maximise our chances to bring projects from paper to real life, not only delivering carbon reductions and supporting Peterborough to become a Net Zero city but also driving healthier lives, saving money and developing our green skills market. The resulting Net Zero delivery plans will see Peterborough become a leading city in the pathway to Net Zero.

“The consortium recognises the critical role local authorities play in decarbonising the UK economy and are delighted to create a cross functional team, equipped to deliver immediate actions for the local economy, as well as supporting the efficient future management of net zero projects. The project brings together an exciting collaboration of partners.”

Cambridgeshire County Council will lead research into financial mechanisms and explore the financial bundling of projects into investable packages. This will unlock private sector finance for low carbon projects.

Peterborough City Council will lead the project, ensuring that it listens to local residents, businesses and community groups and can support the council’s decision-making process.

Nordic Energy’s innovative 3D modelling and visualisation experts will create special tools to identify and help eliminate Net Zero project barriers in Peterborough and across the UK.

Edenseven will support the council’s mission to baseline district-wide emissions and oversee a portfolio of emission-busting projects with tailor-made, carbon accounting and managing software.

Environment charity PECT, will bring 30 years of experience of working with communities in and around Peterborough on environmental issues. Their team of sustainability advisors will help engage residents on the best energy efficient measures for their households and communities.

Coun Gavin Elsey, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Environment and Climate Change said: "I am thrilled to see Peterborough leading the way in taking city-scale decarbonisation plans forward. It is essential that we recognise the diverse communities of Peterborough and design solutions that truly fit their needs."

Bob Barnes from Nordic Energy said: “We are so excited to be starting on this project to break down the non-technical barriers to Net Zero. We know what needs to happen to decarbonise heating and transportation, but there are many blockers which slow progress. We are building tools which help super charge this transition.”

Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Environment and Green Investment Committee, Coun Lorna Dupre said: “Working with Innovate UK means the benefits of the work will be shared across government and local authorities. This will help to accelerate learning and increase the pace of delivery for net zero across the country."