Greater Manchester - Local Area Energy Planning

Achieving Greater Manchester’s 2038 carbon neutrality target requires significant change to the ways in which energy is generated, stored, distributed, and consumed. The Local Area Plans (LAEPs) provide a roadmap for infrastructure change to 2038, setting out a geospatial plan for where energy generation, retrofit, low carbon heat and Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure should be installed, with investment values and timelines. The plans inform how the region can meet its carbon neutral ambitions, the types of assets required, their cost and where they should be deployed. Knowing the types of assets required supports the designing of new tariffs and also the levels of flexibility and services they provide.

11 LAEPs were developed, one for Greater Manchester and one for each of the 10 Greater Manchester Districts.  The LAEPs are used to: engage with key stakeholders on the pathway to carbon neutral, identify key investments in energy generation, storage, energy efficiency and use (e.g., EV charging) and prioritise areas and activities for transformation using a least regret analysis.  The LAEPs are now being utilised to develop investment propositions across each of the themes.

The LAEPs were developed as part of the Local Energy Market £6m innovation programme, which began in March 2021, completing within 14 months. The programme involved 12 partners, inclusive the GMCA, to design a local smart energy system from street level to optimised trading.

Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP) enables data-driven, spatial, and collaborative planning, to help unlock investment and delivery of smart local energy systems. Each local area is different - its people, geography, building stock, energy networks and ambitions and priorities are unique. Local Area Energy Planning provides a data driven, spatial and collaborative means, involving local government & network operators, of exploring a range of possible future local energy scenarios to cost-effectively decarbonise.

The Local Area Energy Planning process follows 7 key steps:

- Identifying and engaging stakeholders

- Set area vision and targets.

- Create and understand the local area energy system.

- Investigate future local energy scenarios.

- Produce a Local Area Energy Strategy

- Lead Implement

- Monitor and Review

The LAEPs were built up using a range of research, data assets which provided information on building stock condition modelled over 1.2m homes, 2700 public buildings and over 4000 land assets analysed for onsite generation, storage and EV infrastructure, heat network feasibility data and national datasets.

Two scenarios were analysed, the first with Greater Manchester `leading the way’ with immediate action using measures largely in GMCA and the Local Authorities control. The second scenario assumes that hydrogen becomes available for domestic and non-domestic heating by 2030 and considers where hydrogen is best placed to be used, alongside the measures outlined in the primary scenario. 

The resulting Plan allows identification of the local energy network and system choices to support carbon neutral aspirations - informing what local action is needed and where investment needs to be prioritised.  The next step is to develop investment grade propositions to be deployed.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) led and participated in a consortium of 12 partners.  The LAEPs were developed in partnership with Energy Systems Catapult, an independent, non-profit supporting the transition to net zero. Key advisors included the Distribution Network Operators (Electricity Northwest and Cadent).

Key partners in the project included:

-  Ovo Energy:  A major energy supplier in the UK

-  Hitachi Europe: Global business providing specialised IT software integration for EV.

-  Cornwall Insight: Provider of regulatory and policy review

-  Daikin Europe: Global Low carbon heating and cooling provider

-  Regen SW:  Specialist energy consultancy

-  Northwards Housing: Provider of social housing

-  Carbon Coop: Community cooperative supporting resident engagement

GMCA also worked closely with the 10 Local authorities on the development

Throughout the development of the LAEPs there was engagement with Distribution Network Operators, governance organisations and assets owners.  The resulting plans then engaged with both residents and businesses on the draft outcomes via online surveys, direct communication with residents, businesses culminating with a citizen jury held to engage with residents on the plans for their future energy system.

We launched the plans at Greater Manchester’s annual Green Summit in 2022, with 1000+ attendees, bringing together a broad range of cross sectoral partners, with further promotion via social media using a suite of different animations.

Since their launch, the LAEPs have been promoted locally, nationally, and internationally through GMCAs relationship with other UK and international cities and regions.

The LAEPs were funded through £3m grant from the Industrial Strategy Challenge fund from Innovate UK, with £3m co-funding to research and design smart local energy systems.

Energy Systems Catapult was commissioned to work with GMCA and the districts to develop the LAEPs, over a 14 month period. Production of the Local Area Energy Plans is just one part of the wider Local Energy Market Programme. Developing the Plans alone cost £620,000, with the remainder focused on the design of new energy tariffs, and design of a local energy market.

The Plans indicate £5bn+ public funding is required to unlock the circa £12.5bn of assets, an investment which is significantly under the public sector’s influence/control

- Local Energy Market - GM Green City

Sean Owen
Head of Low Carbon, GMCA
sean.owen@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
07973 876289

Mark Atherton
Director of Environment, GMCA
mark.atherton@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
07834174132

​​​​​​​Robyn Smith
Project Manager for the Mission Based Approach, GMCA
robyn.smith@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
07725479089