Energy, the way we generate, source and use it has huge environmental impacts. Its generation from fossil fuel sources makes a significant contribution to global warming. Nuclear generation leaves behind a trail of long term difficult to manage problems. There is an increased worry within the EU about security of supply and having to rely on imports to satisfy our energy demands.

This backdrop explains why the European Commission is actively promoting energy from renewable sources. In the past decade Europe has seen the emergence of world leading technologies and production of wind power, primarily in Germany, Denmark and Spain. Now the same is happening with solar power, particularly photovoltaics. In Germany and the Netherlands governments have put in place support infrastructures for solar technology that have already generated thousands of thriving businesses. Greece excels in the use of mature solar thermal technology. And Sweden demonstrates another technology that significantly improves energy efficiency: hundreds of thousands of homes across the country have installed heat pumps in recent years. Hovering behind all this is a huge effort to make hydrogen power a viable alternative.

Much can be done to push this move towards renewable sources for energy, and of course using energy more efficiently.

• In planning our settlements much more attention can be paid to trying to make them as energy self-sufficient as possible.
• We can incorporate the infrastructure for renewable energy sources from the outset. We can produce better buildings, that require less energy, and themselves generate the power they need;
• We can procure renewable energy in preference to other types of energy and find ways of funding additional renewable energy infrastructure through our purchasing power; We can help develop the technologies for generating renewable energy;
• We can move with the times by building on the technologies already being used elsewhere;
• We can help turn exemplar solutions into mainstream use.

Global to Local have been involved in a number of energy related projects.

• We are advisers to the Government Office (Eastern Region), engaged on a series of contracts to help set a renewable energy target for the region, and then work to overcome the barriers that appear in the planning system.
• We project manage the EU co-funded Z(ero) E(missions) N(eighbourhoods) project (2002-2005). Based on a number of demonstration projects this aims to produce a template for how parts of a city can become energy self sufficient.
• We are engaged in green energy procurement, developing a model which allows the procurement to generate new renewables infrastructure.

We have also a number of services, which are relevant to the use, management and procurement of energy:

• Through EMAS, we can help organisations improve their energy performance and their procurement approach;
• Through our training courses we can help organisations to put the right measures in place and achieve a large buy in;
• Through our international study tours we can offer opportunities to accelerate the learning curve and build on what really works.
• Through our European work, we can help put together funding applications for energy related projects.

To see the energy related projects that G2L has worked on, click here.

If you would like more information on how Global to Local can help you please contact Tim Cordy.