Agenda item

Agenda item

Large Scale Renewable Energy Generation Feasibility Study

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer

 

The Council’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) has a?target?to reduce direct emissions of CO2?by 50% over the five-year period of 2020-25. In addition, the Council has a target to be zero carbon by 2038.

 

Action 1.4 of the CCAP targets 7,000 tonnes of annual CO2 by 2025 savings to be delivered via a feasibility and business case for a large-scale energy generation scheme from large scale Solar PV or Onshore or Offshore Wind on Council land and buildings, or sites in third party ownership”.

 

Local Partnerships were appointed in November 2020 to deliver the feasibility study and their study, “Feasibility Study and Options Appraisal for Large Scale Energy Generation for Manchester City Council”, was completed in April 2021 and is attached as Appendix 1 to this paper. 

 

The Feasibility Study concluded that the Council has two options: either purchase a solar PV facility or negotiate a suitable power purchase agreement (PPA). Both options were assessed to be better than the “do nothing” option.   

 

The Committee are invited to comment on the report prior to it being considered by Executive.

 

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer that described that the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) has a?target?to reduce direct emissions of CO2?by 50% over the five-year period of 2020-25. In addition, the Council has a target to be zero carbon by 2038.

 

Action 1.4 of the CCAP targets 7,000 tonnes of annual CO2 by 2025 savings to be delivered via a feasibility and business case for a large-scale energy generation scheme from large scale Solar PV or Onshore or Offshore Wind on Council land and buildings, or sites in third party ownership”.

 

Local Partnerships were appointed in November 2020 to deliver the feasibility study and their study, “Feasibility Study and Options Appraisal for Large Scale Energy Generation for Manchester City Council”, was completed in April 2021 and was appended to the report. 

 

The Feasibility Study concluded that the Council has two options: either purchase a solar PV facility or negotiate a suitable power purchase agreement (PPA). Both options were assessed to be better than the “do nothing” option.   

 

The Committee was invited to comment on the report prior to it being considered by Executive.

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

 

·         The need to visualise and articulate what a tonne of CO2 looks like relative to the amount that is produced;

·         Noting the recent energy crisis and the importance of future proofing;

·         The need to lobby for increased onshore wind developments;

·         The need to promote the Solar Together Greater Manchester group-buying scheme;

·         All opportunities for job creation and addressing fuel poverty should be utilised through any development; and  

·         All opportunities for delivering small local renewable energy schemes should be explored and supported.

 

The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer advised that the proposed development was the optimum size had been designed with due consideration given to future proofing. She stated that the feasibility study that underpinned the proposal could be shared with Members. She stated that the work would be progressed to deliver this programme and updates reports would be submitted to the Committee for consideration at an appropriate time.

 

The Strategic Lead - Resources & Programmes stated that the scale of the proposal was necessary to meet the challenge to address the emissions from the Council’s estate. He did acknowledge the comments regarding small local renewable energy schemes.The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer informed the Members that work was underway at a Greater Manchester level to look further at small local renewable energy schemes.

 

The Strategic Director, Local Partnerships acknowledged the comments regarding wind power and commented upon the challenge to delver these due to Government legislation compared to delivering solar powered schemes. She further commented that it had been evidenced that established solar panel installations benefited the local bio diversity.

 

Decision

 

The Committee recommend;

 

1. That the Executive Member for Environment take every opportunity to lobby for the increased delivery of onshore wind power.

 

2. That the Executive Member for Environment review the information that is provided to residents regarding climate change to ensure a visual representation of carbon tonnage is included.

 

The Committee also endorse the recommendations that the Executive;

 

1. Note the options in Section 3.1 available to the Council; and

 

2. Agree that the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and the Chair of the Zero Carbon Coordination Group establish a delivery team to develop the options further, with a view to returning to the Executive with a proposal.

 

Supporting documents: