Oxfordshire County Council has gained a nationwide award for its position in a undertaking that it says might revolutionise the best way power is produced and used within the UK.
The council gained the award for the most effective local weather motion and decarbonisation initiative on the latest Affiliation for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Service Awards 2023.
It was recognised for its power insights instrument and power flexibility trials, efficiently demonstrating the essential position native authorities can play in shifting away from using polluting fossil fuels. The work fashioned a part of the Native Power Oxfordshire scheme – also referred to as Undertaking LEO.
Undertaking LEO, is described as an formidable, broad reaching, collaborative power demonstrator scheme. It has supplied a blueprint for a greener, extra versatile and fairer electrical energy system for the UK sooner or later.
The council led the event of a strategic power mapping platform developed with business companion Superior Infrastructure Know-how Ltd to help native space power planning and supplied belongings, together with buildings, to take part within the flexibility trials.
Undertaking Lead Inga Doherty, Oxfordshire County Council’s Local weather Coverage and Programme Group Chief, stated: “We had been delighted to select up the APSE award for greatest local weather motion and decarbonisation initiative. The power mapping platform is already contributing to decarbonisation work throughout the county and will probably be used to develop a sturdy, properly knowledgeable, native power plan for Oxfordshire.
“We additionally demonstrated how council belongings can contribute to a transition to a internet zero power system. It’s incredible to steer on initiatives that assist us transfer over to cleaner power that bit sooner and to have our work recognised by APSE.”
Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cupboard Member for Local weather Change and Setting, stated the work “has documented the trail to a nationwide system that we’d like by the early 2030s.”
The power mapping platform was examined by Oxfordshire’s metropolis and district councils, and builds upon Superior Infrastructure’s LAEP+ (Native Space Power Planner Plus) platform, offering a spatial image of how and the place power is used throughout the county and informs the place modifications are wanted to allow the transition to internet zero.
A wealth of knowledge was supplied by a collaboration with Power Techniques Catapult – a not-for-profit centre of excellence that bridges the hole between trade, authorities, academia and analysis.
It has already been used to tell the rollout of electrical car charging infrastructure and determine areas appropriate for inclusion in retrofit programmes to make buildings extra power environment friendly.
Will probably be key to growing a neighborhood space power plan that identifies alternatives to scale back demand, maximise using the county’s present power infrastructure and scale up renewable technology.
Mo Baines, APSE Chief Government, stated: “We obtained over 300 submissions for the awards this 12 months, with every one demonstrating a transparent dedication to the targets of steady enchancment and the supply of excellence in public companies.
“On behalf of everybody at APSE, I wish to congratulate every certainly one of our unimaginable finalists – you’re a credit score to the communities you serve.”
Lily Cairns Haylor, Head of Product and Co-founder at Superior Infrastructure stated: “In transitioning to a internet zero power system, the LEO LAEP+ power insights instrument has demonstrated its outstanding worth in saving time and assets whereas pinpointing optimum areas and timing for the deployment of low-carbon applied sciences, together with EV cost factors. We’re extraordinarily proud to have partnered with Oxfordshire County Council on Undertaking LEO in our shared mission to decarbonise the native space.”