Supporting the decarbonisation of the heat, power and transport for the public sector

Energy Systems Catapult is an independent, not-for-profit centre of excellence that bridges the gap between industry, government, academia and research and was set up to accelerate the transformation of the UK’s energy system and ensure businesses and consumers capture the opportunities of clean growth.

Challenge

The Modern Energy Programme (MEP) was funded by the Energy Innovation Programme from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and delivered findings that complex public sector sites. 

Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) led the MEP programme, developed a systemic approach to developing local low carbon energy systems within the public sector, in particular the NHS, MOD and MOJ, with the goal to support the Government’s ambition for net-zero emissions from the public sector by 2050.

This includes the development of plans to decarbonise heat at each site and account for the impact this will have on the rest of the local energy needs.

Approach

Ricardo evaluated potential strategies for innovative integrated energy solutions, which offered the potential to reduce carbon emissions and energy expenditure.

Our role in the MEP programme was to provide support and practical technical advice to each site. This involved gaining a detailed understanding of the energy uses on site, through on-site audits and interviews with key site contacts, creating a concept design for recommended energy interventions for each site, completing technical assessments for heat, power, ventilation and cooling, and communicating the outputs and recommendations with key stakeholders.

Recommendations

The methodology we used in the strategy ensured that the solutions recommended are repeatable and scalable, providing a future-proof site energy plans as well as valuable lessons for future initiatives across multiple public sector campus sites of all types. The solution proposed were multi-vector energy solutions including wind and solar power.

This involved:

•    Gaining a detailed understanding of the energy uses on site, through on-site audits and interviews with key contacts

•    Creating a concept design for recommended energy interventions, completing technical assessments for heat, power, ventilation, and cooling

•    Communicating the outputs and recommendations with key stakeholders.

Results

As part of the pilot, Ricardo developed a holistic net zero strategy integrating a cluster of 3 sites which was then validated across numerous other sites across the UK.

Ricardo helped with the development of plans to decarbonise the heat, power and transport needs at each site, we were one of the pioneering organisations to help trial the Modern Energy Partners (MEP) approach in developing new tools and templates to deliver an innovative approach to decarbonising energy supply and management.

The MEP programme progressed to Phase 2, where up to 36 additional sites went  through a 3-stage concept design process, culminating in recommendations for options to decarbonise energy use on each site.

•    A validated approach to public sector estate decarbonisation that’s becoming the industry standard approach recognised across the public sector

•    Site decarbonisation strategies that will help deliver the UK Governments net zero target

•    A service sector that is better equipped to meet the needs of the public sector estates

•    A more financially efficient approach to capital investments across the public estate.