Renewable energy
The council has set out plans to be a carbon neutral district by 2030. We know that exploring options for renewable energy generation is one of the most effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint. It’s part of a commitment we made when we declared a climate emergency back in 2019. Government figures show that only 16% of energy in our district comes from renewable sources. Under our Greener Faster initiative, we want to have a more active role in facilitating the growth of all types of renewable energy within the district.
Renewable Energy for our district was the subject of our recent Carbon Neutrality Open Forums. You can watch the online forum (which took place on 28 June) on our youtube channel or view the boards from our drop-in event (which took place on 10 July) below.
Between 28th June and 31th July 2023, residents, businesses and community groups had an opportunity to submit views and ideas via our Renewables Survey. This showed a high level of support for developing renewable energy within the district. You can browse a summary of the responses below.
The council has also commissed a study from Geospatial Insights Ltd that looks into the potential for rooftop solar PV for all buildings in the District, and also looks at the generation potential for all land parcels within the district. The council is working towards hosting this online but in the meantime, please contact climateemergency@winchester.gov.uk if you would like to access the information.
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Generating Energy from Solar PV for our buildings
The council has already invested in substantial roof-mounted solar PV - photovoltaic panels that generate clean, renewable energy for our use and for our residents. We now have over 2500 panels generating 500,000 kWh per annum. These power our buildings in the summer, substantially reducing our electricity costs and contributing to clean air. The council has also installed panels on two local business - Marwell Zoo and Biffa waste depot.
Solar Panels at Marwell Zoo -
Renewable Energy supplied to all council buildings
Since April 2019, electricity used across the council’s operational estate has come from renewable sources as standard. We receive certificates from the Ofgem Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) scheme that certify the supply is a-rated (100% renewable).
Some of our buildings such as leisure centres are operated under contract. We don't have direct control over the energy supply but we do have a commitment that these buidings will also transition to renewable energy by 2030 at the latest.
The council is investigating the purchase of 100% Green Gas from April 2024.
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Campaigning for Renewable Energy across the Winchester District
Winchester Action on the Climate Crisis is a local organisation campaigning for rapid transition to renewable energy. You can read their reports and blogs on renewable energy here: Clean Energy – Winchester Action on Climate Crisis (winacc.org.uk)
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Install your own solar panels with Solar Together
Solar Together Hampshire is a group buying scheme offering high-quality solar panels and battery storage at a competitive price to Winchester Residents who come together to buy solar panels under the auspices of Hampshire County Council. The council is part of a consortium who is working with independent and trusted experts, iChoosr Ltd, to help residents make the switch to clean energy as cost effective and easy as possible.
Investing in solar panels or battery storage for the home not only helps to reduce household energy bills over time, but also boosts local renewable energy generation – reducing carbon emissions and building resilience to climate change. This will help towards Hampshire’s overall targets of being carbon neutral and resilient to a two degrees Celsius temperature rise by 2050.
The scheme is currently closed but it is anticipated it will reopen for sign-ups in August 2023. More information here: Group-buying for solar | Solar Together
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Switch to a Green Tariff
Hampshire Residents can take advantage of Collective Energy Switching via the Big Community Switch.
In partnership with Hampshire County Council, the Big Community Switch. is now offering Hampshire’s residents the opportunity to switch to a green energy tariff and potentially save money too. After the recent energy crisis where residents saw rapid increases in energy bills, this scheme provides Hampshire residents with the opportunity to:
- take up a new fixed deal offer at a lower rate
- change energy suppliers
- save money on energy bills – by benefitting from the bargaining power of a large group
- move to a renewable electricity tariff – all tariffs are from renewable sources
There is no obligation to take up the tariff but if you would like to explore renewable energy at a lower cost, please follow the link below. https://www.hants.gov.uk/landplanningandenvironment/environment/climatechange/whatarewedoing/projects/energyswitching
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GIS data on renewable energy potential
The council has worked with GIS experts Geospatial Insights to analyse the potential for all land parcels and roofs in the district for solar PV generation. To access this resource, please visit: https://mapps.gsi-vip.com/Apps/?tenant=gsi and then use the Username: Winchester and the Password: Watercress to access the portal. You will see two options, the box on the left contains the analysis of the land parcels and the one on the righ contains the analysis of the roofs.
Hampshire County Council has also been working with the University of Southampton and in January, published 'A technical and economic potential for renewable electricity generation in the pan-Hampshire area' produced by the Energy and Climate Change Group, Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of Southampton. GIS analysis is available, please contact the Climate Change team at Hampshire County Council for more information.
This builds on an ealier piece of analysis conducted in 2021 of the energy distribution system: https://www.hants.gov.uk/landplanningandenvironment/environment/climatechange/whatarewedoing/energy-distribution
