A free new software has been launched for native authorities to assist them shortly determine potential areas for inexperienced vitality tasks.
Throughout London, the East and South East, 80% of native authorities have declared a local weather emergency and most are creating vitality plans. UK Energy Networks, which distributes electrical energy in these areas, has mixed 18 datasets in a single place to assist information native authorities find future websites for community-owned wind and photo voltaic farms.
The brand new *IRENES software at ukpowernetworks.opendatasoft.com combines spatial and land use datasets for ground-based photo voltaic PV and onshore wind, over 18,000 sq. kilometres. It additionally apparently takes under consideration bodily traits reminiscent of Areas of Excellent Pure Magnificence and photo voltaic irradiance, information together with the prevailing native electrical energy community.
Information can simply be filtered, and layered with different helpful Web Zero datasets in UK Energy Networks’ Open Information Portal, to view the vitality capability at present out there. Customers can generate an easy-to-understand map, with site visitors mild color coding displaying areas for brand new tasks.
This collaborative venture is led by Anglia Ruskin College and College of East Anglia, and supported by UK Energy Networks’ Distribution System Operator (DSO) and the Larger South East Web Zero Hub. It lives as much as the ‘Energy Data Taskforce: A Strategy for a Modern Digitalised Energy System’ report commissioned by Authorities, Ofgem, and Innovate UK which units out 5 key suggestions to modernise the UK vitality system and drive it in direction of a Web Zero future.
UK Energy Networks’ funding shortly helped scale the unique scope from 5 county councils, to 133 native authorities serving 5.6 million residents inside simply six months.
Lynne McDonald, head of Native Web Zero at UK Energy Networks’ Distribution System Operator mentioned: “This partnership showcases our DSO’s collaboration throughout sectors to assist native authorities in simply accessing important information for his or her decarbonisation plans.
“It’s been a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge with our colleagues in energy, data and academia. We encourage local authorities to make the most of this new tool, shape our network investments and drive sustainable change together – empowered by data and digital tools for effective, place-based decision-making.”
Peter Gudde, Web Zero programme lead at Larger South East Web Zero Hub mentioned: “The Greater South East Net Zero Hub has been supporting the development of the IRENES Land Use Tool to enable locally developed renewable energy generation. We are pleased to see collaboration between two of the South East region’s leading universities and UK Power Networks Distribution System Operator in support of the public sector and their area commitments to facilitate Net Zero. We look forward building upon that cross-sector working relationship.”
*IRENES stands for Integrating RENewable vitality and Ecosystem Providers in environmental and vitality insurance policies
