SSE Energy Solutions has begun work to revolutionise the way a Welsh county cuts carbon emissions following a £1.85m (€2.17m) contract win with Monmouthshire County Council.
The project will mark the first material step in the decarbonisation of 21 council-owned buildings including offices, leisure centres and schools.
Energy savings for the Council are projected to exceed £250k per year whilst building occupants and visitors will benefit from better quality lighting, heating and ventilation.
Solar photovoltaics (PV) on roofs and carports will also generate zero carbon electricity.
Overall, the Council will save more than 4,000 tonnes of carbon by 2030 as a result of this project – the equivalent energy used by 1,766 homes in a year, SSE said.
This will be Monmouthshire Council’s first energy performance contract, with SSE guaranteeing energy savings over eight years.
As part of the project, SSE assessed a wide range of technology options and identified measures that ensure each building operates as efficiently as possible and can even generate their own sources of clean energy.
This will allow the council to make significant financial and carbon savings, and help it meet its ambitious net zero target.
Cllr Jane Pratt said: “We are committed to delivering our robust decarbonisation targets as set out by our Climate and Decarbonisation Strategy.
“As part of this, we understand that we need to work closely with our community to make meaningful improvements that will have immediate impact.
“Decarbonising existing infrastructure is always challenging and working in occupied buildings, each with its own constraints and limitations, is never an easy task.
“We were impressed with SSE’s excellent results working with other local authorities and this is why we trusted SSE Energy Solutions with our first energy performance contract.”
SSE Energy Solutions senior projects & operations manager David Ball added: “Cities, small and large, account for more than 70% of the global annual carbon dioxide emissions.
“As a recent report by the International Energy Agency highlighted, climate action in cities is essential for achieving net-zero emission goals.
“Initiatives like this are the first steps towards building fully integrated solutions for smart cities that are an essential step towards addressing the climate crisis challenge.
“We must drastically reconsider how we use our buildings and land to ensure we become as energy efficient as possible and utilise every opportunity to generate and consume clean energy.”
SSE is a principal partner of COP26.
With less than 30 days before the start of Glasgow-summit, SSE Energy Solutions is working with local authorities, facility managers and large energy users across the UK, tackling small and large infrastructure challenges and creating partnerships that enable truly transformational smart city experiences.
Monmouthshire Council is already considering options to work further with SSE to develop a second phase that will involve additional buildings and the potential for larger infrastructure projects such as EV charge hubs and solar farms.