The South West Net Zero Hub’s Project Development Team have supported six innovative new clean energy projects to get started in the region.
Our Project Managers have worked with the local authorities involved, providing fully funded support and technical expertise to the following projects:
Avoncrest Solar on Landfill – North Somerset Council
The Avoncrest site in Weston-Super-Mare is a North Somerset Council owned former landfill site under consideration for ground mounted solar.
Hub funding has been approved to enable more detailed techno-economic feasibility and gain a clearer understanding of the potential, costs, risks, timelines and delivery options of this project.
North Somerset Council are keen to explore opportunities to partner with a local community energy group on this project.
Wiltshire Council Solar on Council-Maintained Schools Project
Wiltshire Council aims to support its council-maintained schools to install rooftop solar and battery energy storage systems. Last year, they completed a successful pilot, providing a loan to a council-maintained primary school to install rooftop solar, and they now wish to expand this pilot loan offer.
To support Wiltshire Council further, the Hub has recently appointed a supplier to develop this model. The project will assess site feasibility of their council-maintained schools, review financial and loan options, and design an expanded pilot for wider rollout. The approach aims to cut emissions, reduce energy costs, and create a replicable model for other local authorities to adopt.
South West Solar Carports Project
Many local authorities (LAs) have council-owned car parks beside high-demand buildings that could be well-suited to solar carports. The car parks represent a significant opportunity to generate renewable energy, support EV charging infrastructure, reduce pressure on the grid, and support LAs in progressing towards their net zero commitments.
To unlock this potential, the Hub has recently appointed a supplier to undertake assessment of a long-list of sites, detailed feasibility for priority locations, and clear guidance to support future project identification, development and investment. A request for information will be shared with local authorities in June to capture details of potential sites for feasibility.
Gloucestershire County Council Pyrolysis Feasibility Study
The Hub is supporting Gloucestershire County Council and Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West to investigate the potential for a pyrolysis plant fed by sewage sludge in an area of Gloucestershire.
Pyrolysis is an innovative waste-to-energy technology that is being increasingly researched and invested in across the UK due to it enabling a circular economy, renewable energy generation and agricultural and environmental benefits. Pyrolysis involves heating to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. It transforms waste into the valuable by-products of biochar and gas.
The study, which will be carried out by Severn Wye Biochar, will perform high-level feasibility for this proposal and will include an additional assessment of how the plant could benefit the local community – either by being developed at a smaller community scale that could be locally owned or invested in, or by directing the plants outputs and wider benefits to the local community.
Phoenix Lane: exploring solar and battery storage at Mid Devon District Council HQ
With support from Hub, Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) is moving forward with plans to explore rooftop solar and battery storage at its Phoenix Lane headquarters in Tiverton. The project will look at how around 250kW of solar PV could be installed on the adjacent multi-storey car park, alongside battery storage, to help power Phoenix House with locally generated renewable electricity.
The study will explore how solar panels, batteries, EV charging and other low-carbon technologies could work together to make the best use of the electricity generated onsite. It will also include discussions with the local electricity network operator to better understand the options and constraints around grid connection and the best metering configurations and protections for the development.
Procurement for the feasibility study is due to launch shortly. The work will help the Council identify the best route towards delivering a future renewable energy scheme at Phoenix Lane, while also generating useful learning for other councils looking to develop similar projects.
Mid Devon commercial sites: helping unlock solar on council-owned tenanted buildings
The Hub is also supporting Mid Devon District Council to explore the potential for rooftop solar across a range of commercial properties in Tiverton. The study will focus on buildings that are occupied by business tenants, which creates additional challenges around leases, responsibilities and how costs and benefits are shared.
To help understand whether solar can be delivered on these sites, the Hub is procuring specialist legal and commercial support. The work will examine:
- Lease structures
- Landlord-tenant responsibilities
- Ownership and delivery models
- Insurance and maintenance considerations
- How future leases could potentially be adapted to better support renewable energy deployment
The project will also explore how commercial arrangements, such as PPAs, may interact with lease structures and what approaches may be needed for tenant engagement and consent processes.
The project is intended to help MDDC understand whether there is a viable pathway for solar deployment across its tenanted estate, while also creating learning and good practice that could support similar projects elsewhere in the South West.
Our Project Development Team work directly with local authorities and other public sector bodies, providing fully funded support to help with scoping, project design, and unlocking the finance to progress projects.
If you work in the public sector and need help or guidance with a renewable energy generation project contact the Hub and one of our project managers will be in touch.