| MEETING : | ENVIRONMENT STRATEGIC PANEL |
| DATE: | 13 MAY 2004 |
| REPORT OF: | ALAN THORNLEY, COUNTY PLANNING OFFICER |
| CONTACT: | John Pearson, Principal Environmental Management Officer |
| OFFICER TEL NO: | Chester (01244) 603191 |
| EMAIL: | john.pearson@cheshire.gov.uk |
RENEWABLE ENERGY IN CHESHIRE
IINTRODUCTION
1 At the April Environment Strategic Panel meeting it was resolved “a report be brought to the next meeting of the Environment Strategic Panel on the plans for Cheshire to achieve its share of the N W regions targets for renewable energy (48MW in Cheshire by 2010)”. This report provides background material on renewable energy and what the County Council can do to support implementation.
2 There have been important changes in national and regional requirements for renewable energy during the past twelve months. The Government has placed renewable energy as a cornerstone of a new Energy Policy. The Energy White Paper has established a target that 10% of the UK’s electricity supply comes from renewable sources by 2010; 15% by 2015 and an aspiration of 20% by 2020. The main change at the regional level has been the inclusion of a new policy (ER15-Renewable Energy) in the Draft Partial Review of Regional Planning Guidance for the North West (RPG13). One component of this new policy was to establish a Sub Regional Renewable Energy target for Cheshire of 48MW by 2010.
3 Renewable energy technologies include solar thermal, photovoltaics, wind, biomass, wave, geothermal, tidal, hydro power, landfill gas and certain types of energy from waste. Cheshire currently has around 5MW of electricity output from renewable sources mainly from landfill gas. There are thus 6 years remaining for the County to bring forward an additional 43MW. This is a considerable challenge.
4 Excluded from the target is the use of renewable energy for space heating and hot water heating. There are currently no national or regional targets for these forms of energy. This is potentially a greater area of growth for Cheshire than in renewable electricity production.
SUPPORTIVE STUDIES
5 The County Council is currently involved in a number of supportive studies to help improve awareness and create more conducive circumstances for the development of renewables in the County. Appendix 1 provides a summary of the work underway at the current time.
6 The main co-ordination mechanism is the Cheshire Renewable Energy Initiative a public/private/voluntary partnership taken forward by Energy Projects Plus. There are, however, no formal sub-regional steering groups or partnerships to take forward the implementation of the electricity target. The conclusions in this report are not based upon any report for Cheshire (sub regional reports have been prepared for Cumbria and underway at the current time in Lancashire), but on the content of regional documents and general reports provided in Appendix 1.
ISSUES
Large Electricity Generation.
7 Given the current circumstances, the private sector can only deliver the implementation of the electricity target for Cheshire by 2010. Wind energy, landfill and energy from waste are the only technologies that are expected to contribute to significant electricity generation up to 2010. The Mersey Barrage would have made an important contribution to a Cheshire target from renewable sources.
8 The limited increase in landfill sites will prevent this playing a major role. Current guidance within PPS22 excludes energy from mass incineration of domestic waste from the definition of renewable energy. RPG excludes energy from waste from the regional renewables target, leaving the scale of development to be determined by the North West Waste Strategy. This leaves only wind energy and large scale biomass generation as potential contributors to the target.
9 The District Councils in Cheshire will be responsible for deciding any future wind turbine applications for Cheshire. The revised Structure Plan will provided a supportive framework for such developments. Due to lower wind speeds in the county any future wind turbine applications may prove to be controversial due to higher turbine height and potential conflict with landscape designations.
10 Large-scale biomass generation is currently taking place at Fiddlers Ferry Power station and is proposed for Eccleshall in Staffordshire. Both sites are outside Cheshire. There are potential benefits to the farming community in Cheshire if a large-scale biomass plant could be located in the county.
Small Electricity Generation.
11 This may take the form of hydropower on Cheshire’s rivers and canals, smaller scale energy from waste and biomass. Electricity generation could also come from photovoltaic panels; however, a decrease in cost for this form of energy is needed for it to play a greater role. Small, individual wind turbines could contribute lower quantities of electricity to the 2010 target.
12 On the very small scale, photovoltaic (pv) generation can supply structures such as bus shelters, highways installations and street lighting applications. Work in this area is underway in Cheshire, but the cost of pv currently prevents the large-scale application of such technology.
13 Proposed Alteration to the Structure Plan includes change to policy GEN 3 that will require the on site generation of 10% of energy needs from renewable sources where appropriate. This will provide a supportive framework for implementing on site renewable energy.
Combined Heat and Power.
14 Policy ER14 of the revised RPG proposes a target of 1.5GW of combined heat and power (CHP) (producing both heat and electricity). The policy proposes that CHP should be promoted in local authorities own developments and in private and domestic developments. Cheshire is currently at the centre of a national trial for a domestic “micro” CHP system which may result in individual houses supplying their own electricity needs and exporting excess into the national grid.
Leading by Example.
15 The County Council is currently undertaking a number of projects to demonstrate it is leading by example in the generation of renewable energy. Members are currently considering a proposal to support the procurement of energy from renewable sources. Kingsmead School and Beeston Outdoor Education centre are the first two sites in Cheshire with photovoltaic panels. Our developments will not contribute substantially to the Cheshire target but will demonstrate we are setting an example for the wider community.
Heat and Solar Thermal Renewable Technologies.
16 There are currently no regional targets for renewable energy technologies that provide heat and hot water. The Cheshire Structure Plan defines renewables to include site generation of heat and hot water from renewable sources. This is the area of potential greatest growth for renewables in Cheshire. A number of solar hot water, geothermal and biomass companies are located in Cheshire and are in a good position for maximising growth with the expansion of the use of such technologies.
Revised target.
17 The current target for Cheshire is based on the Regional Renewable Resource Study reported in a document “From Power to Prosperity”. The NWRA is leading work to update this resource study (see Appendix 1). Local renewables studies are also proposed for the individual District areas of Cheshire which may be used to set individual targets. This work is being co-ordinated by Renewables North West and the first study is underway in Vale Royal. Lack of funding has prevented progress to date.
18 There are no proposed technology specific targets within the RPG policy. This is an approach different to that in Power to Prosperity which included individual targets for technologies. The change is based on the rapid changes in technology and the need for local communities and developers to determine the appropriate mix.
CONCLUSIONS
19 There is no simple solution for Cheshire to meet its proposed target for renewable energy target by 2010. Meeting the target will be a challenge for all involved. Wind energy and biomass may be the main provider’s up to 2010 for large-scale electricity generation. Smaller quantities may emanate from hydro and photovoltaic developments. Energy from Waste and Combined Heat and Power has an important role to play in future developments in Cheshire.
20 The County Council has an important role to play in leading by example in its own development and contributing to the climate conducive for renewable energy to become mainstream activity. The support for a “greener” energy contract for its own sites is one example where renewable energy development is supported. New development undertaken by the County Council should include provision for renewable energy generation on site.
21 Renewable energy technologies for providing heat and hot water may have a greater role in Cheshire. There are potential economic benefits to the county for a growth in such technologies.
RECOMMENDED:
That the Executive Member for Environment be advised to support
1) the continued development of renewable energy technology in Cheshire
to contribute to the regional target;
2) the role of the County Council in leading by example in renewable energy developments;
3) the potential economic benefit to Cheshire with the continued expansion of the emerging renewables industry.
4) the development of a research project into a market for biomass in Cheshire.
REASONS FOR THE RECOMMENDATION
To support the development of renewable energy in Cheshire.
