Hastings Borough Council’s Energy Options Study


Hastings Borough Council Case Study.

Following an acceptance that, like all UK Council’s, they had an austerity-induced funding gap to fill, Hastings Borough Council seized the opportunity to address this in a truly sustainable manner.

In 2017, the Council sought a specialist Consultancy to conduct an Energy Options Study. The aim of this was to look at their estate of Council buildings, commercial lettings and land ownership with a view to making optimal use of them.

Following a formal ITT process, CLS Energy Ltd were appointed to carry out these works in 2017.

Energy Efficiency

Subsequent to a comprehensive assessment of energy data, CLS were able to establish the significant energy consuming sites and locations were the Council would gain the best return for their investment. Wide-ranging on-site energy assessments followed and a total of more than 80 different and costed energy efficiency measures and controls were recommended.

District Heating

Beyond this, CLS Energy honed down three sites that would potentially lend themselves to a district heating and cooling network. These were worked up into a feasibility study with costings applied. This work was recognised by DEFRA.

Renewable Energy

Sites were also assessed for Solar PV arrays and wind turbines linked to energy storage on open land owned by the Council and their partners. Three sites were comprehensively assessed and calculations were made. Negotiations were then undertaken with Distribution Network Operators to establish connectability, costs and ROIs.

With our ongoing assistance, the Council have since been pursuing many of these actions and, as a result, making significant financial returns as part of their ongoing Energy Actions Programme.

Here is what Hastings Borough Council said in 2017:

“Alan really is a subject matter expert and, as he has a good understanding of the challenges faced by local government, is able to relate his recommendations to the challenges our sector faces. It is no exaggeration to write that he has made significant contributions to the development of public energy strategy for hundreds of thousands of people as a result.  Their work has encompassed:

  • A comprehensive assessment of energy measures, generation and fleet solutions.
  • Energy purchasing arrangements.
  • Energy savings measures.
  • Renewable energy generation.
  • Community energy projects.
  • Dealing with fuel poverty and other social and economic issues.
  • Borough wide energy supply (white labelling).
  • Energy aggregation and other incentive schemes.
  • Available grant funding.
  • Innovation projects to assist with our Borough energy transition.

Our resulting programme is likely to result in the Council investing nearly £9m with an expected ROI of 12% across the programme.

I find CLS to be a highly professional, approachable and pragmatic organisation.  I highly commend them to you and there can be no better reference than the fact that Hastings Borough Council has just appointed them retained consultants for the delivery of our Energy Options programme”.

M.L. Income Generation Manager

21st July 2017

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