Annual Conference 2025

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In September 2025 the Hub held its annual in-person conference – an opportunity to build knowledge, create networks and collaborate with colleagues from local authorities across the region.

Over 80 representatives from councils and other public sector bodies joined us for the day to learn about:

  • Building effective partnerships: local authority collaborations with community energy
  • Financing energy projects
  • Innovative local energy supply: a complex sites approach
  • Local Area Energy Planning

View the agenda.

Download the presentations below. 

Annual Conference_2025

Community Energy and Local Authority Partnership

Pete Capener, Managing Director, Bath and West Community Energy

Local Authority and Community Energy Collaboration: 

Nikki Brain, Energy Transformation Manager, Bath & North East Somerset Council

Working together for Net Zero: Community Energy and Local Authorities

Paul Elliott, Renewables Lead, Plymouth Energy Community.

Financing Energy projects

Karl Harder, Co-Founder, Abundance Investment; Stephen Le Fanu, Investment Analyst, BBRC; Stuart Pearson, Investment Manager, South West Net Zero Hub

Innovative Local Electricity Supply

Mark Burton and John Lancaster, Project Managers, South West Net Zero Hub; Jason Taylor, Southampton City Council

Improving Local Renewable Generation Potential

Jason Taylor, Energy Manager, Southampton City Council

To LAEP or not to LAEP: The role of local authorities in energy planning

Chloe Brazier-Sant and Linda Irwin, Project Managers, South West Net Zero Hub

Delivering Place-Based Retrofit

Andrew Randall, Retrofit Project Manager, Somerset Council