Producing renewable energy
We are looking to support the generation of renewable energy. Some of this energy could be used within our buildings or could contribute to local renewable energy generation for use in the city.
As more people and organisations start to shift to use new technologies such as electric vehicles and air source heat pumps, we will need to work with others to understand how this increase in demand for electricity can be met.
Planning for this growth in electricity demand and how we can meet it with renewable energy will be a key priority for us over the next few years.
We are also exploring the option to create a ‘solar farm’, which is where a piece of our own land could have solar panels installed on the ground to generate renewable electricity.
Heat networks work by taking a source of heat (including from water, underground, waste heat from an incineration plant) and transporting it through pipework to multiple buildings.
This means some buildings would not need to have their own individual heating systems. It is considered an efficient and effective solution for heating buildings that use lots of energy or where many buildings are situated close together.
We are monitoring the legislation to see the role that the council might have to play in its implementation.
We are also exploring how we could benefit from it, including how heat networks could be used to heat our buildings, as well as those of large energy users in Colchester.
As more people and organisations start to shift to use new technologies such as electric vehicles and air source heat pumps, we will need to work with others to understand how this increase in demand for electricity can be met.
Planning for this growth in electricity demand and how we can meet it with renewable energy will be a key priority for us over the next few years.
Solar panels
Many of our buildings already have solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on them, including the Crematorium, Leisure World and Shrub End Depot.We are also exploring the option to create a ‘solar farm’, which is where a piece of our own land could have solar panels installed on the ground to generate renewable electricity.
Heat networks
New government policy is directing a shift towards the creation of ‘heat networks’ to provide a lower cost heating solution for many buildings.Heat networks work by taking a source of heat (including from water, underground, waste heat from an incineration plant) and transporting it through pipework to multiple buildings.
This means some buildings would not need to have their own individual heating systems. It is considered an efficient and effective solution for heating buildings that use lots of energy or where many buildings are situated close together.
We are monitoring the legislation to see the role that the council might have to play in its implementation.
We are also exploring how we could benefit from it, including how heat networks could be used to heat our buildings, as well as those of large energy users in Colchester.
Page last reviewed: 4 November 2024