Ambition North Wales is a partnership of six local authorities in North Wales, as well as Bangor University, Glyndwr University, Coleg Cambria and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai. They have set out the Growth Vision Strategy for North Wales and established the North Wales Growth Deal to generate over £1billion of investment across North Wales aiming to build a vibrant, sustainable and resilient economy in North Wales.
The North Wales Growth Deal presents a unique opportunity to increase jobs and growth across the region. Delivery of Growth Deal Projects will support the region to overcome barriers currently faced by the private sector to invest in the region. One aspect of this is a focus on unlocking the economic benefits of transformational low carbon energy projects.
Ambition North Wales has been successful in securing £380,000 from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund to carry out Feasibility Studies of a multi-vector Smart Local Energy System for the following Local Authority Areas:
EA Technology have been appointed by Ambition North Wales to identify the opportunities and demonstrate the case for creating Smart Local Energy System (SLES) within each of the Local Authority (LA) areas. Smart Local Energy Systems aim to match energy supply and demand within a defined area to the benefit of a range of stakeholders.
We will deliver a comprehensive feasibility study identifying the case for a SLES in each LA area, highlighting the specific needs to be addressed and the opportunities that can be exploited. This will culminate in options for the delivery of pilot SLES that can support local decarbonisation, economic growth and overcome market failures while unlocking private and community sector investment in smart local energy solutions.
“Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) offer an exciting opportunity for local communities to generate, store and use energy at the local level. I am excited that EA Technology has been recognised for our expertise in this area, leveraging our experience in Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP) and understanding of energy network constraints. Utilising this experience to work with local stakeholders we will identify potential projects that can be taken forward to support decarbonisation whilst also bring economic benefits across North Wales”
In delivering this project, EA Technology have partnered up with Buro Happold and SE2 to bring specialist experience in the project.
Buro Happold’s 40 years of experience in infrastructure development with a focus on low/zero carbon energy solutions ensures that we have the expertise to perform multi-discipline engineering services supporting our clients to determine the right integrated solutions for them. In addition to our energy specialists, we can leverage input from our range of specialists from around the firm in several relevant disciplines including environmental, geotechnics, transport and sustainability. We are fully committed to supporting decarbonisation and addressing climate change.
SE2 helps individuals, communities and organisations build their capacity to tackle climate change. We provide stakeholder engagement, research and strategy development services which bring people together to spark creative conversations and innovative ideas.
SE2 are currently working on a Local Area Energy Planning project across three local authority areas in Staffordshire, with the Energy Systems Catapult and Buro Happold. We have previously led research projects into the public acceptability of smart meters and on the impacts of a smart energy future on vulnerable householders. We also conducted a research review into the potential for smart
