Solihull Borough Council: Low Carbon Energy Network

• Council: Solihull Borough Council

• Project name: Town Centre Low Carbon Energy Network

• Location: Solihull

• Purpose: As a member of the West Midlands Combined Authority, Solihull Council has a net zero target for 2041. As 57% of emissions in Solihull come from buildings, the council wanted to bring down the cost and accessibility of heat pumps in buildings in the town centre.

• Description: Solihull Council has sponsored a project to create a centrally managed energy centre to connect buildings in the town centre to renewable sources such as air source heat pumps, which were previously unsuitable. The council proposed a site for the energy centre that is large enough to accommodate the large amount of equipment, but close enough to provide for the town centre. Ultimately, the council wants the energy centre to provide energy to a mixture of public and private customers, local educational facilities, and offices with access to renewable energy.

• Funding: Funding for the project has come from the Government’s Heat Networks Investment Programme (HNIP) and the West Midlands Combined Authority

• Conservative councillor/council lead: Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Planning Cllr Andy Mackiewicz

• Further links: Local Government Association write up, Solihull Council write up, Triple Points Heat Networks Investment Management write up, and Solihull Observer write up.