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The new venture, Partnerships for Renewables (“PfR”), will partner with private sector organisations to plan, develop, construct and operate wind and other renewable energy projects on public sector land. The launch of PfR was given an important boost by David Miliband, MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who today announced £10 million of support to PfR. This will pave the way for PfR to catalyse the expansion of the public sector renewables market by supporting early stage project development. It will also enable PfR to leverage a further £500 million of investment into this new sector. PfR plans to develop 500MW of renewable projects (primarily 3-5MW wind projects), and in the process open up and accelerate a market which PfR estimates to be many times greater. PfR’s target of 500MW would on its own increase the current amount of distributed renewable power by more than 10% and will provide power equivalent to the needs of a quarter of a million homes. Rt Hon. David Miliband, MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, commented:
“500 megawatts of renewable energy is enough to serve the houses of Exeter, Oxford and Norwich and Newcastle combined – that’s the equivalent of 250,000 houses at zero carbon cost to the environment. “The Carbon Trust has shown how plans for renewable installations, mainly wind power, on the land of local authorities and hospitals can be held back because public and private investment are not working together. “Our investment of £10 million has the potential to unlock up to half a billion pounds in private investment and produce 500 megawatts of renewable electricity for public sector organisations to use themselves or to deliver to homes and businesses around the country.” Tom Delay, Chief Executive of Carbon Trust said:
“The Carbon Trust is delighted the Government is supporting the establishment of Partnerships for Renewables through this funding announcement today. Our aim is to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy and PfR is an important step towards that goal. “The PfR company will open up and fast track the development of a new market for renewable power and will be further proof that there are business solutions to climate change. Our plans for PfR are ambitious; in five years by working with local authorities and other public sector bodies we aim to have up to 500MW of new renewable projects built or under development. Once built, these projects will be providing power equivalent to the needs of a quarter of a million homes.” The public sector is currently responsible for around 5% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. In the face of rising energy costs many organisations are already beginning to investigate how they can utilise their resources to generate renewable energy and at the same time fight climate change. Furthermore, the public sector is increasingly recognised as having a leading contribution to make in the UK’s move towards low carbon energy. However, despite a strong desire from the public sector to utilise their resources for developing renewable energy, to date such projects on their estates make up less than 0.1% of the UK’s current total renewable capacity. PfR’s early market testing with public sector bodies has shown a real demand for a partner who can work with them to break down the barriers which have so far inhibited the development of this sector. Rob Crowder, Sustainability Team Manager at Nottinghamshire County Council, commented:
“The real focus of my role is to actively seek out ways in which the Council can promote sources of sustainable energy. Partnerships for Renewables could provide the external expertise and support we need to make our renewable plans a reality: and we’re excited about the future opportunity to work together.” Cllr Mary Lea, Sheffield Council's Cabinet member for Sustainable Environment said:
"We're aware that we have an obligation to lead our community by exploring all the different ways we can reduce our carbon footprint. We're keen to investigate further the possibility of generating renewable energy in Sheffield and are planning on working closely with Partnerships for Renewables over the next twelve months to confirm our reputation as the country's greenest city." PfR is the third venture to be announced by Carbon Trust Enterprises, a commercial subsidiary of the Carbon Trust, which creates and builds new investment opportunities in the low carbon sector. Carbon Trust Enterprises supports the Carbon Trust’s mission to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy.
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