In order to create a pathway for a carbon neutral district, we are developing a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP).
A LAEP is recognised as the leading way of turning net zero targets into local energy system action. It sets out the changes required to transition the Winchester district energy system and built environment to net zero through measures such as insulation, low-carbon heating, and renewable energy generation. It also provides a high-level overview of the likely scale of investment that will be required to achieve nnet zero.
Winchester’s LAEP will be developed in collaboration with Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution (SSE) and Advanced Infrastructure Technology Limited, using the Local Net Zero Accelerator (LENZA) tool. It will be developed with input from a range of local stakeholders.
Further information about how you can contribute to the LAEP will be posted here in due course.
Learn more at the Carbon Neutrality Open Forum on 21 May
Join our Carbon Neutrality Open Forum on Wednesday 21 May at 6.30pm to learn more about Winchester’s LAEP . Register for the online event here.
A LAEP (Local Area Energy Plan) is recognised as the leading way of turning net zero targets into local energy system action and is created with input from a range of local stakeholders.
The LAEP will identify the most cost-effective pathway for the Winchester district to reach net zero and realise local benefits at a local level. It identifies potential actions for how to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels through building improvement measures, such as insulation and low-carbon heating as well as suitable locations for other technologies such as electric vehicle charging points and renewable energy generation.
The concept of LAEP was developed by Energy Systems Catapult. You can find out more about LAEP on the Energy Systems Catapult website.
Winchester City Council has declared a climate and nature emergency and set an ambitious aim for the district to be carbon neutral by 2030. Our Carbon Neutrality Action Plan (CNAP) recognises the contribution that the local energy system will play in achieving this target. It identifies areas that will enable the transition of the energy system to carbon neutral including:
Reducing energy consumption by promoting energy efficiency in buildings and low carbon heat;
Developing a low carbon local transport system by supporting a modal shift towards active travel, public transit, and investing in low carbon modes of transport; and
Increasing renewable energy generation and storage within the Winchester district through investment in domestic, commercial, and utility-scale solar PV and onshore wind.
The development of a Winchester district LAEP is regarded as a critical enabler to the decarbonisation of the local energy system and a key strategic priority for the council. Both our Council plan and CNAP include a commitment to produce a LAEP for the Winchester district.
LENZA (Local Energy Net Zero Accelerator) is a geospatial planning platform developed by SSEN Distribution, powered by Advanced Infrastructure Technology Limited's (AITL) LAEP+ software. It is designed to support local authorities in their strategic energy planning, particularly in developing Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs) and Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES).
The value of the LENZA tool is that it provides the council with free access to data and tools that support with developing our LAEP and enable us to more easily adapt the plan as circumstances change over time.
