At the meeting of the Borough Council’s Executive this Thursday, it was agreed to target a reduction in the Council’s own energy usage, and hence carbon emissions, of 30% over the period to 2014.
This was in response to a suggestion that the Council sign up to the 10:10 campaign, where individuals and organisations can commit to reducing their carbon emissions by 10% during 2010.
The Council has been undertaking a major project with the Carbon Trust to identify ways of saving energy across its offices, leisure centres, Harlequin theatre and other sites, and on the basis of this work is confident that it can aim far higher than the 10% reduction envisaged by 10:10.
Cllr Julian Ellacott, Redhill Councillor and also the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, comments:
“The work we have done suggests that we can save 30% over the next few years by implementing a range of measures, which will also save us a great deal of money, especially if fuel costs continue to rise. Most of the projects will cover their own costs over 5 years or less, thereby providing value for ratepayers’ money as well as reduced strain on natural resources.”
The Council has already introduced a number of measures, large and small, in the past two years to reduce its energy use, such as:
- Installing “smart meters” in its main premises, allowing closer monitoring of when the most energy is being used.
- Tighter guidelines to staff using vehicles to ensure that engines are turned off whenever possible, as well as use of a biodiesel blend in most of its vehicles.
- Installation of a Ground Source Heat Pump to provide heating and cooling to the new pavilion in Reigate Priory Park.
- A decision to use wood to fuel the new Horley Leisure Centre.
- Setting up of “Green Teams” in Council departments, to encourage staff to make minor changes to save energy.
- Changes to PC and printer settings to save electricity.
- Installation of new lighting in Bancroft Road car park, which will reduce its electricity consumption by over 75%.
The 30% plan is based on a list of similar measures which will achieve the target by 2014, with progress being published regularly on the Council’s website.
Many of the measures in the plan are ones which individuals and business can also take in their own circumstances to reduce energy consumption. Further information can be obtained from the Carbon Trust (for businesses) or the Energy Saving Trust (for individuals).
The proposal to adopt the 30% target will go to the Full Council for final ratification on 11 February.
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Mark,
Thanks for the more detailed overview.
Nigel
30% by 2014 is a reasonable target, but the note does not mention what level of capital expenditure/operational cost will be incurred in achieving this (at a time of budget constraint in all areas). What is the budgeted cost for achieving the 30% plan and when will a breakeven return on that cost be achieved?
Nigel, the full details of how the target will be achieve will be included in the council’s Carbon Management Plan (CMP) which is due to be published in March, but as a overview of the key aims:
- Some of the initatives will be funded via interest free loans from the “Salix” fund.
- Rapid payback is one of the key criteria in selecting the schemes – eg the Bancroft Road car park lighting has a payback period of about 1 and a half years.
- Most of the projects in the CMP have pay pack periods of about 5 years, even before taking any account of likely future increases in energy prices (which would reduce the payback period further).
- Some of the energy savings will be achieved through normal rolling replacement programmes – ie spending would have to take place anyway. Eg the Harlequin heating system has come to the end of its useful life, and will therefore be replaced with a far more efficient system. Similarly the Horley Leisure Centre biomass plant.
- Finally, we have avoided the more “window dressing” schemes which would not make financial sense. For example photovoltaic solar panels are not part of the plan, since they have a very long payback (over 10 years) and save relatively little energy. I believe the technology will improve and become cheaper in future, plus we do not need to go down this route to meet the 30%. Similarly for wind power.
Overall, all of the projects contributing to the 30% are sensible, money saving measures.
Hope this helps.
Mark