City leaps ahead

City Leap is an exciting new move by Bristol City Council to secure a billion pounds of investment to develop the city’s energy infrastructure over the next decade. They aim to secure Bristol’s renewable energy future, making the city self-powering, and to keep their pledge to become carbon neutral by 2050.

The council has reached out to potential investors around the globe, seeking backers and builders to realise a bold, sustainable vision of the future. Their plans include innovative ideas such as waste industrial heat capture in Avonmouth, expanding underground district Heat Networks and building a networked Bristol Battery.

City Leap’s call-out for investment opens Bristol to many possible future developments – from smart energy systems and electric vehicles to marine energy. The Avon is a huge source of potential energy – with one of the highest tidal ranges in the world.  Cash-strapped city councils can’t fund this scale of project but it’s a huge opportunity for a renewable energy company.

Heat Networks Redcliffe

There have already been 50 expressions of interest from around the world in investing in Bristol’s innovative plans for securing its future energy supply.

The city’s reputation as a hub of environmental innovation has many causes; we have an educated population able to innovate, a history of activism and a genius for collaboration.

Collaboration is increasingly recognised as an important way to power progress as organisations share resources to create change that are greater than the sum of its partners.

The City Leap team is looking for partners within the community as well as international business, and larger local organisations such as the universities, Western Power, Bristol Green Capital and Bristol Energy.

The deadline for application is 31 August 2018 and local groups with ideas to improve domestic energy provision, via sustainable energy projects or public engagement activities to shape the energy conversation – are invited to get involved.

Solar Panels Temple St

Cllr Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Energy and Waste, said: “Bristol is already internationally recognised as a leading energy city, but now we’re looking to take things to the next level and we need partners to join us on this journey. We want to use our role as local government to act as a catalyst for change”.

The largest investment opportunities are in the areas of heat networks (£300m) and domestic energy efficiency (£300m). Over the next ten years, the council hopes to develop a connection from Avonmouth to Bristol’s existing city centre Heat Network which currently serves more than 700 social housing properties.

Domestic energy efficiency initiatives will focus on addressing fuel poverty and helping households insulate their properties and reduce the home heating costs.

Collaborations are also sought on a smart energy system, which could include development of a ‘Bristol Battery’ to link in with local and national energy transmission networks, as well as projects focused on commercial energy efficiency and renewable energy.

You can find out more about City Leap and download a copy of the prospectus on the council’s Energy Service website:  https://www.energyservicebristol.co.uk/prospectus/.