From Microgeneration to Powering the Nation – Cratus Focuses on Energy

Post-Covid-19, the biggest issue facing Local Government is the climate crisis. 2/3 of councils have declared a Climate Emergency and a large proportion of this have issued or are developing a Climate Plan or Strategy to start mapping their journey to net zero.

The journey is complex, and with councils operating many hundreds of local services and following several different models the responsibilities and opportunities vary from place to place. As a result, many councils have become paralysed by the enormity of the work ahead, most have insufficient expertise in their workforce and some are struggling with residents who do not share their ambition or would prefer the priorities to be elsewhere.

Cratus understands the issues facing Local Government, providing support and expertise to councils of all sizes to navigate change. As Associate Director for Sustainability I will be leading a series of webinars on the role that councils can play on the issue of Energy.

From reducing consumption in every home, through to their role in ensuring the nation has sufficient carbon friendly power, local authorities cover every home and business and can use their influence, policies, and access to funding to transform the sector and help us all reach net-zero.

This three-webinar series starts at the front door. Episode One, Reducing Demand Home by Home, will focus on councils helping residents to reduce their energy use, through education and advice and by direct retrofitting as well as getting their own house in order by upgrading town halls, leisure centres and other civic buildings. Bristol, Cornwall, and Leeds have all led the way in pilot projects and innovative engagement and will share some of their thoughts on the hurdles they have faced and the next steps towards carbon neutrality.

On the supply side, we will be joined by Clarion Housing, one of the UKs largest housing associations who are grappling with the issues of retrofitting their 125,000 homes, Suss Housing who are helping registered housing providers map out their journey and Bioregional who work on One Planet Principles and delivered BedZed, the UKs first large-scale eco-village.

Future webinars will concentrate on the role of the Local Plan in provision of local renewable energy, showcase councils and community organisations who are building wind turbines and solar plants on their land and look to new ways of delivering zero carbon power from hydrogen, waste, and offshore wind.

This series will help councils and communities see what is already being achieved and enable developers and providers to demonstrate not just the art of the possible but the evidence of success. We hope that it will lead to new alliances and help councils move their stalled plans forwards with confidence.

Join us for episode one at 9am Wednesday 24th March.