2025

RENEW288 - Measuring carbon benefit of renewable generation for carbon reporting - 220525

This local authority is interested in learning more about how other authorities measure the carbon benefits of renewable energy generation for carbon reporting.

The are particularly interested in responses to the below questions:

1. How does your council measure and report (in the annual carbon footprint report) on the carbon benefit of:
2. excess renewable electricity exported back to the grid (on Council owned and occupied buildings)
3. renewable electricity generated on a Council owned (or invested in) solar farm (i.e. with no private wire present)
4. renewable electricity generated on Council owned BUT NOT occupied buildings (i.e. leased out estate - not in Council's carbon footprint)

2. Has your council met any regulatory issues with including the carbon benefit as part of carbon reporting?

3. Has your council considered, or found issues with, using REGOs to measure the carbon benefit of renewable energy exported back to the grid and/or renewable energy generated offsite (e.g. from a Council owned or invested in solar farm - without a direct private wire)?

RENEW287 - Heating a building with excess heat from a data centre or other external source - 130525

This authority has been approached by Deep Green, an organisation that builds data centres. They have asked whether there are any sites that could benefit from free heat. They claim that a single container sized unit can generate enough heat to heat a leisure centre with pool and that they will provide the heat at no charge.

The authority is keen to hear from other authorities with responses to the following questions :-

• have you been approached by private sector organisations offering free heat? If so who?
• if you have taken up the offer, what have the benefits been?
• if you have not taken up the offer, what made you decide against it?

They would like to hear about thoughts related to issues of :-

• ownership, insurance and maintenance of pipes and other infrastructure to transfer the heat
• contract details and duration
• arrangements for continuity of supply
• other relevant risk factors.

Clearly they would be very interested to hear from others who have spoken to Deep Green or if anyone is aware of any other organisations offering heat from data centres.

RENEW286 - Accounting for extreme weather events in leave/absence entitlements - 120525

With climate change increasing the likelihood of serious flooding and natural disasters in the UK including wildfire, landslide or significant storms, a member authority is interested to hear whether local authorities have taken this into account in their leave or absence entitlements for staff?

They are particularly interested in responses to the below questions:

1. Does your Local Authority have a specific absence policy for staff homes damaged by floods or other natural disaster? If so, are you able to share this policy?
2. If you do not have a specific policy, is it accounted for in other leave and absence entitlements?
3. Does your Local Authority have any other support mechanisms for staff who are impacted by flooding or other natural disasters? Please briefly explain.

RENEW285 - Engaging with residents to discuss Energy Efficiency – 090525

A member authority is looking to improve the way that it engages with hard-to-reach and disengaged tenants on the importance of energy efficiency.

They are keen to hear from local authorities on their approach to engaging with tenants around completing EPCs and discussing energy efficiency. They are particularly interested in responses to the below questions:

1. Are you able to share any examples of best practice on engaging with hard-to-reach tenants on undertaking EPCs and retrofit work?
2. What have been the lessons learnt from previous engagement projects?

RENEW284 - Requiring new sub stations after ASHP installation – 280425

This member authority has installed Air Source Heat Pumps at a number of schools where new sub stations were required to deal with the increased electrical demand. As a result of these new sub stations, the standing charges have substantially increased, by over 17 times.

The authority is interested to hear from others who have had similar experiences and would appreciate any guidance on how to work with this situation.

RENEW283 - Science Based Targets - 250425

This authority is keen to hear from members that have set or are considering setting Science Based Targets. They would be interested in hearing from local authorities on how they have approached the below questions:

1. Have you set or are you considering setting Science Based Targets (SBT) for:

• Your organisational/ or operational emissions
• Area wide territorial emissions
  1. Which standard/methodology did you use?
  2. Did you use an external provider/consultant?
  3. Would you be happy to discuss your experience with the member authority in more detail?

RENEW282 - Using offsetting to reach net zero targets - 150425

This authority is interested in hearing from members that are looking to meet carbon neutral/net zero targets through offsetting. They are particularly interested in responses to the below questions:

1. How far developed are you with your plans to do so?
2. How do you plan to approach offsetting? For example, purchasing credits, insetting or another method?
3. Has the potential cost of offsetting resulted in a review of whether your set target date is achievable?

RENEW281 - Installing EV chargers at council owned flat blocks - RENEW281/030425

This member authority has received an increasing number of requests for permission to install EV chargers at council owned blocks of flats. They are keen to hear from local authorities that have received such requests and are particularly interested in receiving responses to the below questions:

1. How has your authority handled requests for permission to install EV chargers from social housing tenants in blocks of flats?
2. Has your authority applied for or been granted funding for the installation of EV chargers at blocks of flats?

RENEW280 - Insurance implications of cavity wall insulation – 010425

This member authority is interested in installing fire-retardant cavity wall insulation in council offices. However, they were informed by their insurance company that it doesn’t insure buildings that are insulated by expanded or extruded polystyrene due to it being a fire accelerator. Both of the buildings in question are brick/block with cavities.

The authority is keen to hear from members who have encountered similar issues in the past and how they overcame them.

RENEW279 - Demonstrating value of adaptation investment - 250325

This authority is developing an adaptation plan and is interested in hearing from local authorities that have demonstrated the value of investment in adaptation.

They are particularly interested in any examples of how local authorities have costed the value of adaptation measures, compared to the cost of inaction.

RENEW278 - Securing sponsorship for council-led Green Open Day event - 170325

This authority is interested in holding a council-led Green Open Day event to support residents to reduce their carbon footprint.

The council hopes that the event will act as a one-stop-shop for any sustainability questions from residents who want to reduce their emissions; with local businesses and public transport providers able to share how they can support, whilst community climate groups in attendance to present their achievements.

The authority is interested in hearing from members that have held similar events in the past, they are particularly keen to hear from authorities that secured sponsorship for their events. Any information on how your authority went about securing sponsorship would be greatly appreciated.

RENEW277 - Low carbon advertising policy - 120225

A member authority is looking into the viability of introducing a low carbon advertising policy.

They are keen to hear from authorities that have introduced low carbon advertising policies and are particularly interested in responses to the following questions:

• What was the process you went through, and how long did it take to implement?

• What have you set as the parameters of low carbon advertising?

• Have you been able to monitor the impact, and if so, what has this been?

• Do you have any other relevant information that you would be happy to share?

RENEW276 - Power Purchase agreements and schools/local authorities - 060225

This local authority is planning to tender 1.5–2 MW of potential roof space to a selected service provider (solar PV installer/investor) capable of offering a comprehensive and economically advantageous PPA rate to local schools.

They are keen to hear from others who are aware of any solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) frameworks available for call off by local authorities or schools.

They would like to hear from those with knowledge of any relevant frameworks or have experience with similar initiatives

RENEW275 - Networked ground source heat pump systems – 030225

A local authority member is considering a networked ground source heat pump system as part of a larger retrofit project on a collection of domestic properties. They would be interested to hear from other authorities that have considered (or are considering) this approach to low carbon heat in their own stock and how they have made the decision to progress with the system or not.

They are especially interested to know if there are any authorities with experience of delivering and operating networked heat pumps, particularly if a shared ground array is used as the primary heat source.

RENEW274 - Planning requirements for onshore wind - 240125

Given the Government’s decision to promote onshore wind, this member authority is interested in hearing from councils that have considered the associated planning requirements in terms of the ‘set back distances from the highway’ to enable potential wind turbines planning applications to be determined.

National Highways have defined some guidance on ‘set back distances from the highway’ in terms of the Strategic Road Network (see below)

Strategic road network and the delivery of sustainable development - GOV.UK

However, this authority is keen to hear from any local authorities that have developed their own guidance that prescribes the required set-back distances from the local highway perspective in terms of wind turbine locations.