APPENDIX 10: VISIT TO LEICESTER CITY
COUNCIL
21 February 2005
Members visiting Leicester were: Lord Broers, Lord
Lewis of Newnham, Lord Paul, Baroness Perry of Southwark (Chairman).
In attendance: Professor Roland Clift (Specialist Adviser), Dr
Christopher Johnson (Clerk), Dr Jonathan Radcliffe (Specialist
Assistant).
The Committee was welcomed by Councillor Ross Willmott,
Leader of Leicester City Council (LCC). He drew attention to the
city's long-term, cross-party commitment to energy efficiency
and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In 1990 LCC had
set a target of a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2025. If
such local initiatives were replicated across local government
the effect on the UK overall would be dramatic.
One of the major initiatives being considered at
present was the establishment of an energy services company, to
create an "energy highway". Although there was some
support from the EU for this initiative, it would be helpful if
the Government could give more support by allowing local authorities
to run local utilities.
Mr Don Lack, Head of Service, Energy Management,
presented an overview of LCC's policies. The city had a considerable
legacy of mature housing, but LCC had attempted to set an example
by making council premises, including the City Rooms, as energy
efficient as possible. Solar energy was used to power meters etc.
However, a key role was placed by information gathering, notably
the collection of data on energy consumption at seven strategic
points around the city and fed into a single computer system.
These data, based on real-time, half-hourly metering of energy
and water consumption, allowed the establishment of parameters
of normal usage. Databird software identified aberrations or variations
and set off alarms, which were checked and acted upon daily. Data
were collected from public buildings, but the Council also provided
a similar service to a number of SMEs.
An extension of information use was the installation
of information panels within buildings, providing real-time information
for occupants on energy use, carbon emissions, etc. LCC had also
engaged with the EU Display Project in developing an "energy
label" for display in public buildings. The Leicester Energy
Centre had been developed to offer free and impartial advice to
local people, who could also buy a range of energy efficient equipment,
change energy suppliers, and so on.
LCC had also developed a "solar rental"
project, inspecting homes and identifying the scope for improvements
in energy efficiency. Once efficiency levels had been raised,
occupants were able to rent solar panels to provide hot water—the
rental cost being offset against savings in gas and electricity
bills.
Leicester's district heating system dated back to
1953, and the infrastructure was not visible above ground. If
provided heat for around 4,000 dwellings. Heat was generated by
a gas-fired CHP plant—although the Council was planning
to install a biomass generator, fuelled by locally sourced natural
wood, there were difficulties securing funding from East Midlands
Development Agency. The advantage of district heating was the
durability of the infrastructure—though initially expensive,
it lasted 35-50 years. This meant that improvements in generating
technology could simply be slotted in, benefiting all the properties
connected to the system.
The key lessons of experiences in Leicester were:
the importance of real data on energy use; knowledge of and participation
in EU developments; good media relations; the readiness of local
authorities to take risks; and the commitment of time, effort
and funds. Efforts were hampered by the lack of clarity in legislation
and the lack of an overall, joined-up policy.
Ms Carol Brass (Team Leader, Environment Team), set
the strategic context: Leicester's Climate Change Strategy dated
back to 1990, and was owned by the entire Leicester Partnership.
This was backed up by a Leicester Environment Strategy, which
covered such issues as water use. In addition to the 2025 target
of a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the city
had a ten percent target for energy from renewables (including
heat as well as electricity), as well as targets for reducing
fuel poverty.
There was a longer-term "EMAS" (European
Eco-Management Audit Scheme) target. The main problem at present
was in the transport sector, but some 20 schools were currently
registered with EMAS, and more than half would be registered by
2007. This demonstrated the Council's commitment to improving
environmental awareness within the education system.
There was also a "Keep Leicester Cool"
campaign, focused on ethnic minorities, who had not engaged with
earlier campaigns; and an awards scheme. There was a partnership
with a local newspaper, which badged energy stories under the
heading "Our Environment Our Future".
The Committee then visited the Energy Centre, before
hearing a presentation from Mr Prakash Patel on LCC's metering
system. This was made up of three elements: the meters themselves;
the Databird logging software; and radio antennae communicating
information between sites. Data were automatically analysed to
identify exceptions to normal patterns of use. The key benefits
were the timely and accurate management of information; instant
access to meters, however inaccessible; rapid identification of
problems; the capacity to customise information so as to help
establish good housekeeping; benchmarking; the ability to generate
internal league tables. The system was capable of factoring in
weather conditions in establishing the parameters of normal usage.
The system had cost £500,000 (compared with
LCC's total budget for energy and water of £5 million). Savings
of £160,000 per annum had been identified, of which some
£60,000-70,000 had been realised. This produced an acceptable
payback time, within the Save to Spend rules. The overall message
was, "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it".
The Committee then visited the Queen's Building,
and discussed research projects at the Institute of Energy and
Sustainable Development with Professor Paul Fleming. He noted
that the Institute's work programme was increasing making use
of psychology and economics, in addition to traditional "hard"
science.
The Committee also visited the Leicester Eco House
and the Six Street Solar Roof Project. It was noted that with
regard to the Six Street project, that solar PV had been chosen
ahead of solar thermal in large part because of the availability
of grants. In addition, the occupants had been able to benefit
from a net metering arrangement, agreed by the supplier Ecotricity.
The Committee finally visited Eyres Monsall School, where a 2.5
kW wind turbine, the first in Leicester, had been installed in
December 2004. This initiative had been decided by the pupils
themselves, and broke new ground in planning terms. Other schools
were following suit, planning larger, 5 kW turbines.
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