Bristol Council to channel green energy to public buildings

Green energy from council infrastructure could cut public sector bills

A city council plans to slash its energy bill by channelling the renewable energy it generates to public sector buildings.

Energy from Bristol City Council-owned wind turbines and solar panels is currently sold to the National Grid.

But under new plans, this electricity would be used to cut bills for buildings like hospitals and schools.

The council's energy bill more than doubled in the last financial year from £6.2m to £14.5m.

Two council-owned turbines in Avonmouth generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity each, while a solar farm also generates 1.8 megawatts, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Previously the council bought the energy back from the grid at market rates, but a "sleeving" deal would mean the council could purchase the equivalent amount at wholesale prices.

'Skyrocketing prices'

David Gray, energy supply programme manager, told the growth and regeneration scrutiny commission on 29 September, that using energy the council generates itself could protect it from skyrocketing prices in the future.

He added that his team had been "boxed into a corner" by upheavals in the energy market, forcing it to double spending to keep the lights on in the short term.

The council currently has a small scale sleeving arrangement to supply buildings like city hall, but plans are in the works to begin a tender process for a much broader deal in the coming months.

Over the next few years, a huge investment in council-owned solar farms and wind turbines is also planned in a bid to increase electricity generation by 182 megawatts as part of the City Leap deal on climate action.

This could be put in a pool of cheap energy for the council and public sector buildings to use.

Community-owned green energy projects could also feed into the pool.